1
as in to disobey
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 to confront
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 to resist
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defy
While the broader airline sector is weathering a storm of escalating costs and geopolitical fragmentation, Delta Air Lines (DAL) has managed to maintain an altitude that defies the market’s current gravitational pull.
—
Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
Leadership can often defy definition, but it is usually recognized.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
The small group of champions who defy expectations are, by definition, resilient.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
The all-new Rivian R2, which was teased two years ago, may defy the current state of the industry, which has seen sales of EVs slump and automakers cancel upcoming models.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Michael Khouw, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
Leadership can often defy definition, but it is usually recognized.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
The small group of champions who defy expectations are, by definition, resilient.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
The all-new Rivian R2, which was teased two years ago, may defy the current state of the industry, which has seen sales of EVs slump and automakers cancel upcoming models.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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South Windsor police have charged Rodriguez with evading responsibility, disobeying the signal of an officer, reckless driving, engaging police in pursuit and improper use of a marker, license or registration.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Mar. 2026
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Michael Schade, who works in the department’s traffic division, said most e-bike accidents were caused by riders disobeying basic traffic rules, like running red lights and not stopping at stop signs.—
Alissa Gary,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And yet, there are several elements of the film that are — in their own quiet ways — daring in their retro simplicity that swim against the currents of tentpole moviemaking.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Mar. 2026
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The president should act now and dare his opponents to stop him.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The sheriff said the child's father later confronted Duggar about the incidents on March 17 and the reality TV alum admitted to his actions to law enforcement in Tontitown and local police arrested Duggar soon after.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Every two years, California voters are confronted with a wall of ballot measures ranging from nitty-gritty legal tweaks to sweeping changes to the state Constitution.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The clash comes as tensions escalate between Anthropic and the Defense Department, which has resisted placing restrictions on AI use and recently barred contractors from working with the company, prompting a lawsuit from Anthropic on First Amendment grounds.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
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Who could resist a comedy featuring tiny, creepily cute monsters?—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But all that seemed to go ignored by the presenter, attendees said.—
Jesse Coburn,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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But how can justice, let alone a meaningful reckoning, begin when the killings go on, swept under the rug by state officials and all but ignored by everyone else?—
Brendan King,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Experts estimate that their new world tour could become the best-selling ever, challenging Taylor Swift’s $2 billion record, while Bloomberg predicted that today’s launch concert alone could generate as much as $177 million in economic activity for Seoul.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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While there’s been endless speculation in the tennis world about his potential rise to challenge Sinner and Alcaraz, Fonseca simply believes in himself.—
Nick Remsen,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Republicans in California are facing opposition from Democrats in their effort to suspend that state's gas tax.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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On Saturday, Osasuna and Girona FC face one another in La Liga action.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The best way to oppose the hanging of these posters is to study the arguments the state made in favor of them.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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The Kansas branch of the National Education Association opposed legislation prohibiting elementary students from using computers or tablets at all.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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