1
as in disobeys
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronts
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 resists
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defies
As advocates have pointed out, these qualifiers are vague enough that they could be wielded against anyone who expresses their sexuality or defies traditional gender roles.
—
Abby Monteil, Them., 7 Nov. 2025
Elphaba, meanwhile, uncovering the Wizard and Madame Morrible's nefarious plot, defies them all — and gravity in the process — breaking out of the Emerald City on broomstick and whizzing off into sunset.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
Still, Fred and his son, eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, clearly believe the Knob Creek lineup is the place for these ultra-aged bourbons, and the good news is that this new release defies expectations and is actually pretty damn good.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2025
Andrew is part philosopher, part fighter — a man who defies easy categorization, bridging worlds that rarely meet.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
Taken together, these triumphal and tragic elements constitute the ingredients for an epic historical narrative that defies all moralistic categories, a story rooted in the coexistence of grandeur and failure, brilliance and blindness, grace and sin.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
When Jones goes missing, Fajardo directs Sullivan to return to camp, but Sullivan defies those orders and goes AWOL to locate Jones.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Nkrumah was crucial in jumpstarting the Ghanaian film industry, building a studio to produce work that conveys an Africa that defies the expectations promoted by colonizers.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Anderson’s latest may be the rare film that defies category lines with a blend of high-concept spectacle and political farce.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
Abby Monteil, Them., 7 Nov. 2025
Elphaba, meanwhile, uncovering the Wizard and Madame Morrible's nefarious plot, defies them all — and gravity in the process — breaking out of the Emerald City on broomstick and whizzing off into sunset.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
Still, Fred and his son, eighth-generation master distiller Freddie Noe, clearly believe the Knob Creek lineup is the place for these ultra-aged bourbons, and the good news is that this new release defies expectations and is actually pretty damn good.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Nov. 2025
Andrew is part philosopher, part fighter — a man who defies easy categorization, bridging worlds that rarely meet.
—Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025
Taken together, these triumphal and tragic elements constitute the ingredients for an epic historical narrative that defies all moralistic categories, a story rooted in the coexistence of grandeur and failure, brilliance and blindness, grace and sin.
—Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
When Jones goes missing, Fajardo directs Sullivan to return to camp, but Sullivan defies those orders and goes AWOL to locate Jones.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Nkrumah was crucial in jumpstarting the Ghanaian film industry, building a studio to produce work that conveys an Africa that defies the expectations promoted by colonizers.
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2025
Nonetheless, Anderson’s latest may be the rare film that defies category lines with a blend of high-concept spectacle and political farce.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
-
When two unexpectedly return, the town dares to hope again.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The execution of a champion for his political views is a direct assault on these values and a warning to every athlete who dares to speak out.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The interpreter eventually confronts the writer, telling her that Chizuko wants to protect an idealized version of her, not the real Ō Chizuru.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Even the climax of the film, when Bella confronts Edward about his vampire identity in the misty Washington forest, loses its dramatic edge thanks to Edward's emphatic rebuke of his predatory nature.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The research team revealed that plastination is a new method for managing moisture in wood by replacing water in the cellular structure with a silicone compound to create a durable, hydrophobic barrier that resists swelling, rotting, and cracking.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
-
So, for me, that was the creation of the Anti-American Speech Committee, which is a government panel essentially designed to prosecute artists for holding views or creating work that resists basically the fascist state that has overtaken the American government.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even his handling of deportations—another key part of his election platform—has a 52 percent disapproval rating, as Americans grapple with an ICE force that eschews state regulations, ignores due process rights and acts like the president’s personal army.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Any definition that ignores the role of processing is missing the big picture, says Mozaffarian of Tufts University.—
Maria Godoy,
NPR,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The work also challenges the assumption that dew collection only works in humid climates.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The Louisiana case challenges the state’s 2024 congressional map, which created a second majority-Black district.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Still, the company faces the same existential headwinds that have scared other would-be moguls away from the news business.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
At Barton Creek Technologies, Anna Chen, the chief human resources officer, faces a dilemma over the company’s performance improvement plan (PIP).—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The case centers on a directive to use $4 billion from an alternative fund to pay November SNAP benefits in full—a move the administration opposes.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The Sports Betting Alliance, representing companies like Draft Kings and FanDuel, opposes the bill's revenue-sharing model.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share