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
No Wicked movie here, this is defying gravity!
—
Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Most recently, she's become quite the advocate for defying the idea that women of a certain age should avoid having long hair.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Whether its confidence in defying US pressure will prove misplaced remains unclear.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
An illness that is defying easy explanation sickened more than two dozen people at a solar technology plant in eastern North Carolina, according to investigators.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2026
But the variation in nature has a way of defying categories.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
This year, with a bumper crop of the strange parrot’s favorite berries prompting a rare enthusiasm for mating, those working to save the birds hope for a record number of chicks in February, which would move the kakapo closer to defying what was not long ago believed to be certain extinction.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
From Martha Stewart’s and Jennifer Lopez’s internet-breaking and age-defying selfies to Selena Gomez’s and Hailey Bieber’s bare-skinned vibes, there’s plenty of makeup-free inspo for everyone.
—Glamour, 24 Feb. 2026
Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Most recently, she's become quite the advocate for defying the idea that women of a certain age should avoid having long hair.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Whether its confidence in defying US pressure will prove misplaced remains unclear.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
An illness that is defying easy explanation sickened more than two dozen people at a solar technology plant in eastern North Carolina, according to investigators.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2026
But the variation in nature has a way of defying categories.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
The provocative, genre-defying horror flick boasts unhinged gore, a delightfully dark sense of humor, Madigan as the creepiest aunt ever, and a crowd-pleasing finale.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
This year, with a bumper crop of the strange parrot’s favorite berries prompting a rare enthusiasm for mating, those working to save the birds hope for a record number of chicks in February, which would move the kakapo closer to defying what was not long ago believed to be certain extinction.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
From Martha Stewart’s and Jennifer Lopez’s internet-breaking and age-defying selfies to Selena Gomez’s and Hailey Bieber’s bare-skinned vibes, there’s plenty of makeup-free inspo for everyone.
—Glamour, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
Verb
-
What is the penalty for disobeying a traffic signal?—
Emery Glover,
Des Moines Register,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The country's Supreme Court of Justice removed him from office in 2017 and sentenced him to prison for disobeying a court order to remove barricades during protests against the government of then-President Nicolás Maduro.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Burke helped lead Fire Country as Vince Leone, the tough-as-nails battalion chief running Station 42 and calling the shots as his team battled wildfires and pulled off daring rescues.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
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Earlier this month, Censori, who is debuting an art installation in Seoul, spoke to Vanity Fair about her penchant for daring looks.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Lawmakers are confronting the sudden reality of representing wary Americans in wartime and all that entails — with lives lost, dollars spent and alliances tested by a president’s unilateral decision to go to war with Iran.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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Officers arrived within 57 seconds and rushed toward the shooter, confronting him in a volley of gunfire that ended the attack with the suspect on the ground.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Leon also faces a Level 6 felony battery count and a misdemeanor charge of resisting law enforcement for kicking a Portage Police officer at the Northwest Health-Portage facility and persistently refusing to follow orders from arresting officers, documents state.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Organizers held a series of events focused on resisting immigration enforcement actions and calling for the abolition of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to its website.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some designers find success ignoring social media altogether.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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But there was no ignoring the visuals that made their way out.—
Lily Moayeri,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Artificial intelligence systems do not possess human intelligence and therefore should not be granted rights or protections reserved for people, as evidenced by the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a case challenging the requirement that copyrightable works must have human authorship.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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The judiciary, meanwhile, has taken itself largely out of the picture, limiting the legal avenues available for challenging the president’s use of force.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So far, only Stacey Wondra is facing criminal charges in the boy’s abduction.—
Alex Brizee
March 5,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
-
That political alignment on one of the most pressing issues facing California may explain why voters are having such a difficult time deciding who to support.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yes, the Heat, by opposing winning percentage, have the 10th easiest remaining schedule in the league and an edge there against the 76ers.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
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And in a lightning round of questions at a recent forum in Evanston, all six participating candidates, those listed above except Huynh, shared other points of consensus, backing a transition to universal health care and opposing federal legislation to ban gender-affirming care for children.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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