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
That defied an almost 27% plunge in sales of new EVs and a 7% slide in overall new-vehicle deliveries.
—
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Seven European captains threatened to defy an order against wearing them, until, hours before England’s opening kickoff, FIFA announced that each would receive a yellow card.
—Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Not emphasizing the one is like defying the laws of gravity.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
But a slew of workarounds is keeping crude oil below $100 a barrel, defying many of the industry’s grimmest forecasts for prices as high as $200.
—Devika Krishna Kumar, Fortune, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
Seven European captains threatened to defy an order against wearing them, until, hours before England’s opening kickoff, FIFA announced that each would receive a yellow card.
—Chris Jones, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Not emphasizing the one is like defying the laws of gravity.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
But a slew of workarounds is keeping crude oil below $100 a barrel, defying many of the industry’s grimmest forecasts for prices as high as $200.
—Devika Krishna Kumar, Fortune, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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In 2024, the agency claimed that X security staff sometimes had to pointedly disobey Musk in order to remain in compliance.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
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Jakubowski faces charges of second-degree reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a minor, reckless driving, interfering with an officer, improper use of maker plates, possession of drug paraphernalia, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to maintain the proper lane.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Verb
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In an afternoon of dazzling outfits and daring dance moves, the performers paid their tributes, getting the audience clapping, singing and swaying along to their Elvis covers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
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The safest play in college sports is to violate the NCAA rule book and then just sue should the sanctioning body dare try to punish you.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 June 2026
Verb
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That courier was carrying a case containing approximately $67,000 when the two men confronted him in the parking lot, then took the cash and fled in a nearby vehicle.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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The same difficulty confronts human therapists and psychiatrists.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The more such institutions can resist integrating AI tools into every aspect of their operations, and instead incentivize human intellectual engagement even at the expense of efficiency, the better as far as patience is concerned.—
Christian B. Miller,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
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Specifically designed to be built quickly and efficiently, all walls are interconnected, and each structural element resists both wind and gravity loads.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 June 2026
Verb
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That’s how Ciara found out that Amanda was spending so much time at West’s house while ignoring her calls.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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Chow's son testified that the gun was pointed at him, and defense lawyer Shaun Kent said during his closing argument that Cyrus ignored Chow telling him to put it down.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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And Mullin, a 48-year-old former Republican senator from Oklahoma and former mixed martial arts fighter, is also known for fiery exchanges with congressional committees, once challenging a Teamsters leader during a 2023 hearing.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Across the campus, 30 artists have created an array of site-specific permanent works on a scale that would even be challenging for a leading contemporary art institution.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Verb
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With California facing increasingly destructive wildfires, experts and officials have long urged the strategic removal of dense, flammable vegetation that can erupt into particularly destructive flames from a lightning bolt or the spark of a power line.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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But rescuers caution that the remaining four men face an equally dangerous journey to safety.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Laura Loomer, an influential adviser to Trump, strongly opposes its closure.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
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Told that the court ruled that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 does not require states to create congressional districts where nonwhite voters are in the majority, 49% of adults surveyed favored the ruling while 51% opposed it.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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