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
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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
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Recent Examples of defies
Spired with cranes and framed in steel, its rising semiconductor factory defies all local proportions, both in its size and 11-figure investment.
—
Mark Dee
march 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
And to keep delivering at a pace that defies the natural rhythm of building something sustainable.
—Essence, 3 Mar. 2026
Her charcoal sketches of ancient trees evoke a sense of fluidity that defies their rootedness.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Automata is a daring video game that defies conventional structures and marches to the beat of its own drum.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 Mar. 2026
But just 35 miles inland from the popular shoreline is the historic town of Milton which defies the traditional ideas of panhandle vacations.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The three-way dynamic between the characters, Park suggests, defies easy categorization.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
But McCarthy also transcends that notion, plays with the legend, and defies it.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
Beloved ’s revenant defies the dictates of realism according to which a character is a bounded individual.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Mark Dee
march 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
And to keep delivering at a pace that defies the natural rhythm of building something sustainable.
—Essence, 3 Mar. 2026
Her charcoal sketches of ancient trees evoke a sense of fluidity that defies their rootedness.
—Sachin Rawat, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Automata is a daring video game that defies conventional structures and marches to the beat of its own drum.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 Mar. 2026
But just 35 miles inland from the popular shoreline is the historic town of Milton which defies the traditional ideas of panhandle vacations.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The three-way dynamic between the characters, Park suggests, defies easy categorization.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Feb. 2026
But McCarthy also transcends that notion, plays with the legend, and defies it.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026
Beloved ’s revenant defies the dictates of realism according to which a character is a bounded individual.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
-
Still, a young kid is a young kid no matter the era, and to fulfill his wish of seeing real dinosaurs, Arco disobeys his parents.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And each dares to honor the humanity in characters often reduced to predators and prey by one faction, shrill social justice warriors and brave free thinkers by another.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Is anything more engaging than a good murder mystery—one that dares you to guess who did it, and why?—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But rival Target reported earlier this week another quarterly decline in profits and sales during the critical holiday period as the discounter struggles with its own merchandising missteps and confronts a consumer who is focusing more on essentials.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Ruwa Romman confronts Greg Dolezal over his anti-Muslim campaign video.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, expect a traceless finish (on all skin tones), hyper fast absorption, and a bouncy base for makeup that resists pilling.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
-
In Patagonia’s mountains, Adelaida, the last of a Chilean indigenous people, resists relocation as a mining project threatens her ancestral land.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Many women face unique financial realities, such as career breaks, caregiving, and longer life expectancy, yet most financial advice ignores these factors, which can affect women in ways that differ from those of men, according to NerdWallet's personal finance expert Kimberly Palmer.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The real ocean, of course, ignores those assumptions entirely.—
Marcos Magaña,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Redirecting food from corporate supply chains to food banks challenges the outdated image many people still have of hunger relief.—
Patty Oconnor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The 1995 film version of this exchange between Charlotte and Lizzy, in which the former is portrayed cooly by the unflappable Lucy Scott, challenges the audience’s ability to empathize with Charlotte’s pragmatism, and seems to encourage us to side with Elizabeth’s dismay.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mays faces 11 charges, including pimping, possession of automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines, and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
City officials say the effort is necessary as Davis faces structural financial challenges.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
China, top Iran oil buyer, opposes war Smoke rises from Israeli bombardment on the southern Lebanese village of Khiam on March 4, 2026.—
Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Progressive groups are vowing to mount challenges from the left to any lawmaker who opposes the war powers vote, Axios reported.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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