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
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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
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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
Dana Kraft said there is no coincidence that the program has seen overwhelming success in its inaugural year, while Vrabel has defied expectations in his first season as head coach, backed by the 16-3 Patriots.
—
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
In a press release, Columbia Records noted that Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas, saw fans in line for hours to hear the track through headphones in the store — a true throwback to old-school listening and real-time hype rituals that also defy today’s on-demand, streaming-first world.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
As the movie flits between these different storylines, time is reframed less as something to resist (or defy) than as something to embrace.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
About people making incredible, odds-defying recoveries from the virus.
—Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
In a press release, Columbia Records noted that Waterloo Records in Austin, Texas, saw fans in line for hours to hear the track through headphones in the store — a true throwback to old-school listening and real-time hype rituals that also defy today’s on-demand, streaming-first world.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
As the movie flits between these different storylines, time is reframed less as something to resist (or defy) than as something to embrace.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
About people making incredible, odds-defying recoveries from the virus.
—Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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The fact that on this occasion senior officers chose a very light touch, preserving still-new representative institutions while not directly disobeying a direct presidential order, is extraordinary – and deserves far more comment and commendation than has been received.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
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But when Torre walked off the mound, first baseman Tino Martinez looked at Weathers and told him to disobey his manager.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even in 20-degree weather, Morris wouldn’t dare keep his son home.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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None of us dares skip the reading, and nobody bails on the meeting.—
Lauren Mechling,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During the shooting, Arredondo made a decision to treat the gunman as a barricaded subject and not confront him for over an hour, even after it was confirmed children were trapped in a classroom with the shooter.—
Elise Hammond,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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This could be trying something new, confronting a fear, revisiting a difficult conversation or stepping outside a familiar identity.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some pets cannot resist chewing on houseplants.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 Jan. 2026
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Institutions, subcultures and artists have always found ways to resist homogenization.—
Ahmed Elgammal,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The closet is probably the easiest room to ignore when things get disorganized.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
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Dell is finally good at something—but as her behavior becomes riskier and a shadowy troll threatens to expose her dark past, Dell must reckon with what her digital life ignores, and what real redemption means.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And then to not be able to get folks in is challenging.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The find, made by scientists at Waseda University and Tohoku University in Japan, challenges long-standing theories and suggests that the key physical processes operating in the young cosmos remain poorly understood.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Marine Le Pen faces potential disqualification from the 2027 presidential election after a March 2025 conviction for embezzling EU funds—a 5-year ban from public office unless overturned on appeal.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Yard signs, flags, murals, memorials, ribbons and graffiti silently speak volumes of what this city and region have faced, conveying the idea that life here doesn’t move on from grief but instead moves forward hand in hand with it and forever changed by it.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ongoing violent conflicts continue across the country between ICE agents and those opposed to immigration raids and arrests.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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The vote on the five-year rate adjustment was 3-1 with Councilmember Jenny Maeda opposed.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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