Synonyms of defied

defied

verb

past tense of defy

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

• disobeyed
• ignored
• violated
• mocked
• resisted
• dismissed
• opposed
• rejected
• rebelled (against)
• disregarded
• fought
• flouted
• breached
• withstood
• overlooked
• transgressed
• bucked
• scorned
• passed over
• revolted (against)
• disputed
• broke
• contested
• mutinied (against)
• combated
• scoffed (at)
• pooh-poohed
• disobliged
• infringed
• shrugged off
• winked (at)
• overpassed
• brushed (off)
• tuned out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• followed
• obeyed
• served
• complied (with)
• submitted (to)
• minded
• conformed (to)
• observed
• kept
• yielded (to)
• surrendered (to)
• deferred (to)
• conceded (to)
• stooped (to)
• capitulated (to)
• obliged
• cooperated (with)
• heard
• agreed (to)
• noted
• regarded
• marked
• attended
• noticed
• watched
• heeded
• goose-stepped (to)
• assented (to)
• acquiesced (to)
• acceded (to)
• listened (to)

2

as in dared

to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat

after missing the target, she defied her boyfriend to do better

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dared
• challenged
• confronted
• stumped
• braved
• faced
• bearded
• brazened
• breasted
• outbraved
• outfaced

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

• confronted
• faced
• braved
• dared
• withstood
• resisted
• encountered
• bearded
• stood up to
• brazened
• met
• breasted
• challenged
• fought
• outbraved
• approached
• outfaced
• fronted
• stood
• affronted
• opposed
• battled
• accosted
• faced up (to)
• cornered
• repelled
• combated
• contended (with)
• squared (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sidestepped
• avoided
• dodged
• ducked
• shirked
• eschewed
• shunned
• shook
• escaped
• evaded
• eluded
• funked

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

• resisted
• opposed
• withstood
• fought
• repelled
• bucked
• challenged
• contradicted
• thwarted
• contested
• countered
• disputed
• hindered
• baffled
• contended (with)
• frustrated
• balked
• combated
• battled
• stemmed
• obstructed
• checked
• foiled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• submitted (to)
• succumbed (to)
• yielded (to)
• surrendered (to)
• bowed (to)
• stooped (to)
• gave in (to)
• capitulated (to)
• knuckled under (to)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defied

While on the surface, that’s a startling drop for a nameplate that has long defied the normal premium sports car depreciation curve. — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Certainly, the slim margin defied a sense, in the final days of the race, that El-Sayed was running away with it—an idea that El-Sayed did little to dispel. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

The result is a further layer of complexity in what has become a series of overlapping conflicts that have defied resolution and risk inflicting even greater harm on the world economy in the weeks and months ahead. — Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

The language of the protest was distinctively Internet-native, as young protesters defied intimidation using memes, Gen Z slang, creative posters, and dark humor to criticize the actions of the government and the police. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Though renowned, Etna has stubbornly defied categorization in the traditional volcano lifecycle. — Refractor, 27 July 2026

Elon Musk continues to rage over Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which defied online hysteria from the right and broke box office records in its first days in theaters. — Nikki McCann Ramirez, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2026

And when having weddings, many go so far as to issue specific dress codes and are angry when these are defied. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 20 July 2026

Paramount in response at the time said the states’ lawsuit defied evidence and only served to benefit Big Tech companies like Netflix. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 20 July 2026