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
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defy
Xhaka was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season as Sunderland defied all expectations to finish seventh, three places above Chelsea.
—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
While Japan were widely expected to progress beyond the group stage, Australia have defied the odds to make it this far.
—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Bello’s regression this season has been shocking to behold, and his Jekyll and Hyde act when starting games versus coming out as a bulk reliever defies explanation.
—
Mac Cerullo,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
The president has harshly criticized judges who have ruled against him, and his administration has sometimes defied their orders.
—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
While Japan were widely expected to progress beyond the group stage, Australia have defied the odds to make it this far.
—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Bello’s regression this season has been shocking to behold, and his Jekyll and Hyde act when starting games versus coming out as a bulk reliever defies explanation.
—
Mac Cerullo,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2026
The president has harshly criticized judges who have ruled against him, and his administration has sometimes defied their orders.
—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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Santana-Mateo was booked on charges of breach of peace, engaging police in a pursuit, disobeying the direction of officer, reckless driving, failure to obey a stop sign, failure to drive right, failure to obey a traffic control signal and driving the wrong way on a one way.
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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.
Verb
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An Arizona startup, Katalyst Space Technologies, is undertaking a daring mission to save NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
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After that, Cyrus settled into a rocker chic aesthetic and has continued wearing daring looks over the years.
Verb
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When confronted by lawmakers and journalists, Adorni has struggled to explain the inconsistency between his lavish spending and modest salary.
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Joe and Angela eventually confront their own marital fractures, including Angela's desire for attention and their lack of intimacy.
Verb
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The Ground Above, her follow-up to 2022’s Weather Alive, resists the tacit assumption that an artist’s catalogue should walk a straight line.
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Ask for the dressing on the side, or resist ordering the extra ranch dip or heavily marinated meat.
Verb
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Price is where almost every search starts, and the difference between countries is hard to ignore.
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By the time the sponsor wants to sell, the buyer sees what the sponsor ignored.
Verb
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Are the needs of another challenging your emotional state?
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Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came out of the net to go for the ball, as a Ecuadorian player challenged the net.
Verb
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Saturday is a Gridlock Alert Day in New York City as Panama faces England in the FIFA Men's World Cup in New Jersey.
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With the rise in demand by retail users, compute providers are also facing significant shortages, raising their prices, and are rushing to develop more hardware.
Verb
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But Newsom disagreed, and the opposing sides of the measure failed to reach a compromise ahead of the Thursday deadline to withdrawal a measure.
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The prospect of the wealthy fleeing the state is among the reasons that prominent Democrats such as Newsom opposed it, given California’s budget being so reliant on the state’s most prosperous residents.
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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