1
as in disobeying
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
as in daring
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat
after missing the target, she defied her boyfriend to do better
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in confronting
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 resisting
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 defying
But there are people who are defying that comfort.
—
David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
In Iran, thousands of users have reportedly used Starlink to access the unfiltered internet, defying government restrictions despite the service not being officially approved.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
The judge has held Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt for defying her order.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
Head to Nordstrom to shop the age-defying Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Moisturizer.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
From there, the goal becomes not winning the war but defying indomitable forces to be together.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The iconic feature here, however, is a gravity-defying spiral staircase.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
The hostility was not shared by all lower court judges — not even by the federal judge whom Gorsuch called out for allegedly defying the high court’s previous emergency docket order.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
The shift was apparent to the genre-defying band.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
In Iran, thousands of users have reportedly used Starlink to access the unfiltered internet, defying government restrictions despite the service not being officially approved.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
The judge has held Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt for defying her order.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
Head to Nordstrom to shop the age-defying Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Moisturizer.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
From there, the goal becomes not winning the war but defying indomitable forces to be together.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The iconic feature here, however, is a gravity-defying spiral staircase.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
The hostility was not shared by all lower court judges — not even by the federal judge whom Gorsuch called out for allegedly defying the high court’s previous emergency docket order.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
The shift was apparent to the genre-defying band.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
Verb
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In response, the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Pakota Valley, filed a new lawsuit against the policy and filed a motion alleging the city is disobeying court orders.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
-
He is also accused of disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Wednesday nominee Jenna Ortega turned heads in a Dilara Findikoglu dress with daring cutouts paired with Simone Jewels earrings and rings.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Tonight, the Die My Love star attended the 2026 Golden Globes in something daring and sexy—a sheer dress from Sarah Burton’s Givenchy.—
Irene Kim,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Demonstrators were confronting a large group of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building when an object was thrown at officials.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
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For a mayor confronting rising rents, strained public transit, public safety concerns, and looming budget pressures, inserting himself into a volatile geopolitical dispute appears, at best, a distraction from the immediate work of governing.—
Francisco Marte,
New York Daily News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to the department, Sutton currently faces three counts of resisting an officer, two counts of public intimidation, two counts of battery of a police officer, one count of disturbing the peace and one count of criminal trespassing.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Of the many types of basil, the classic Italian 'Treviso' variety stands out for resisting bitterness, staying tender longer, and being slow to flower even as summer heats up.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alyssa Farah Griffin attempted to cut in, with Navarro ignoring her in the moment.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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James said the administration has not provided evidence of fraud or misuse of child care funding in New York, while ignoring the standard processes for withholding such funds.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Nor did his habit of challenging teachers during lectures win him many friends among the academic staff.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
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And having sensitivity and being an actor, where you’re rejected more often than not is challenging.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Coupang has also been facing pressure from regulators since 2024, when it was fined more than $100 million for allegedly violating the country’s monopoly rules.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2026
-
John Elway facing unexpected health complications.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The New York City Police Department maintained a safety perimeter around the protest to ensure no chaos sparked between the opposing protesters.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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The footage released by CCTV depicted two opposing forces in the exercise.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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