1
as in disobeyed
to go against the commands, prohibitions, or rules of
in those days a woman was brave if she defied fashion and wore white after Labor Day
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronted
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in resisted
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defied
Trump has publicly called for Boasberg’s impeachment over his handling of the case, and the judge is separately overseeing a contempt inquiry into whether administration officials unlawfully defied earlier orders blocking deportation flights to El Salvador.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
Putting himself in peril, Talankin defied a Kremlin propaganda plan disseminated after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that was designed to militarize children and dictate their worldview.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
With the season on the line, the 49ers locked in and defied the intimidating circumstances yet again.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The result defied decades of scientific understanding.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Jan. 2026
Protesters in Iran defied authorities Tuesday, hitting the streets in the capital, Tehran, and smaller cities to chant anti-government slogans amid an ongoing violent crackdown that one human rights group says has left at least 36 dead.
—Henry Austin, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
Jillian Bell is terrific in the title role of a New Yorker who, as the movie begins, can barely make it to the next corner—and, by the end, has defied everyone’s expectations, her own most of all.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
Days later, a report on gross domestic product defied concerns stoked by the hiring slowdown.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The year opened with a surprise breakthrough when Chinese AI startup DeepSeek defied US chip curbs to release a powerful, low-cost model that stunned Silicon Valley and rattled Wall Street.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
Putting himself in peril, Talankin defied a Kremlin propaganda plan disseminated after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that was designed to militarize children and dictate their worldview.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
With the season on the line, the 49ers locked in and defied the intimidating circumstances yet again.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The result defied decades of scientific understanding.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Jan. 2026
Protesters in Iran defied authorities Tuesday, hitting the streets in the capital, Tehran, and smaller cities to chant anti-government slogans amid an ongoing violent crackdown that one human rights group says has left at least 36 dead.
—Henry Austin, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
Jillian Bell is terrific in the title role of a New Yorker who, as the movie begins, can barely make it to the next corner—and, by the end, has defied everyone’s expectations, her own most of all.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026
Days later, a report on gross domestic product defied concerns stoked by the hiring slowdown.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
The year opened with a surprise breakthrough when Chinese AI startup DeepSeek defied US chip curbs to release a powerful, low-cost model that stunned Silicon Valley and rattled Wall Street.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
-
Hours after the shooting, Noem defended the ICE officer who shot Good, saying the woman had blocked federal officers with her SUV and disobeyed orders to get out of her vehicle.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
9 Jan. 2026
-
One aviation expert argued that IndiGo not only disobeyed the regulations, but also increased its domestic flights without increasing crew and pilots.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Instead, officials engaged in a vicious crusade to repress whoever dared challenge the outcome.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
As much as his ability to land the inconceivable, Malinin’s great strength has always been the imagination and courage to take his skating to places few even considered, let alone dared to reach for.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Public trust in the justice system is eroded when political cronyism is rewarded over fairness, when accountability is resisted, and when devastating errors are defended instead of confronted.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Within days, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good, who had confronted agents in Minneapolis.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Public trust in the justice system is eroded when political cronyism is rewarded over fairness, when accountability is resisted, and when devastating errors are defended instead of confronted.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
-
As a child, Caleb resisted being taken into Federation custody, instead going on the lam.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ramírez, who was supposed to be studying chemistry and physics, ignored such strictures.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The supermassive black hole’s forces are unfathomably strong, but the influences of the giant galaxy cluster around it can’t be ignored either.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Avs challenged for offsides, and the goal was taken off the board.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The 90-minute delay challenged everyone in the arena to find ways to kill time.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This was the third time Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes faced his two younger brothers, Devils center Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes, in an NHL game.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Johnson faced a series of unfortunate events during his time searching for a solution — including shutting off his gas service just before Christmas so the lines under his home would not be damaged.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the December meeting, five residents opposed the censure and one was for it.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Most of Eatonville’s town council has opposed the deal since it was introduced.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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