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
The districts argued that complying would mean defying Virginia law and a 2020 federal appeals court ruling.
—
Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
Their traditional crafts become a global fashion sensation, transforming rural lives and defying norms.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
He’s made a more-than-four-decade-long career out of defying expectations.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Indeed, corporate America’s profits have yet to display signs of slowing down, defying expectations and providing fuel for stocks to move higher.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Picture a night in Ibiza where melodies provide the ecstasy and the instrument is Twigs’ multifaceted voice, defying register in shifting from a whispery soprano to guttural pulses in the most surprising of ways.
—Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican hitmaker who rose to global fame through his genre-defying blend of reggaeton, Latin trap and pop.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Sep. 2025
For a working-class man in the 1950s, seeking psychiatric care meant defying social mores.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Research shows many workers are quietly defying the orders.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
Their traditional crafts become a global fashion sensation, transforming rural lives and defying norms.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
He’s made a more-than-four-decade-long career out of defying expectations.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Indeed, corporate America’s profits have yet to display signs of slowing down, defying expectations and providing fuel for stocks to move higher.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Picture a night in Ibiza where melodies provide the ecstasy and the instrument is Twigs’ multifaceted voice, defying register in shifting from a whispery soprano to guttural pulses in the most surprising of ways.
—Shirley Halperin, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican hitmaker who rose to global fame through his genre-defying blend of reggaeton, Latin trap and pop.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Sep. 2025
For a working-class man in the 1950s, seeking psychiatric care meant defying social mores.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
Research shows many workers are quietly defying the orders.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
Verb
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The next day, Alex begs Mia to put her on TMS to talk about the deep fake, but Mia won’t, because that would be directly disobeying Stella and Celine’s order for Alex to keep quiet.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
24 Sep. 2025
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Fischer faces charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with an officer, reckless driving, disobeying traffic control signals, failure to drive in the proper lane, disobeying the signal of an officer, failure to display plates and engaging police in a pursuit.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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All day, fans have been buzzing online, daring each other to out-scream every stop before them after Yeonjun teased that some crowds weren’t loud enough.—
Crystal Bell,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
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Rempe stood out in early scrimmages for his daring drives to the net and nonstop activity in the offensive zone, which has carried over into preseason games.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The footage shows what appeared to be more than a hundred protesters gathered outside a building at night, chanting and confronting lines of armed federal personnel.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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Church member Greg Mikat was shot three times, according to the GoFundMe his sister has organized, sustaining injuries to his leg and chest and remains hospitalized, after confronting the gunman.—
Georgea Kovanis,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Three months prior, he was arrested for drug possession, DUI, and resisting arrest in Florida.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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The two were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and malicious destruction of property over $1,200.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And while everyone has their own preferred ways of watching a game, ignoring the little things is an easy way to miss greatness.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Within less than a year, the Sheriff’s Office had issued corrective action notices to NaphCare for failing to pay outside hospitals and medical specialists, using unlicensed staff and ignoring requests to replace broken medical equipment, among other deficiencies.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Intense Exercise Some doctors recommend avoiding challenging workouts right after getting a flu shot.—
Ashley Wong,
Health,
8 Oct. 2025
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California filed two lawsuits—one challenging the seizure of its Guard units, which an appeals court upheld, and another that led a federal judge to rule the deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Single service handles not stored facing one direction to minimize hand contact with the business end or with the handle facing upright.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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Partner at NewVest Ariel Ezrahi In such an environment, expanding retail-facing funds becomes an appealing lever, providing access to fresh money even as the traditional institutional pipeline weakens, private-equity players told CNBC.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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More and more coaches are willing to chip pucks behind the defense and let their players chase it, using speed and tenacity to apply pressure and win possession back deep in opposing territory.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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But lawyers opposing the government in at least two of the cases opposed the requests.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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