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
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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
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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
London — Keir Starmer has thrown down the gauntlet to his potential rivals, defying calls to quit as Britain’s prime minister and instead challenging his would-be opponents to launch a formal challenge against his leadership of the Labour Party.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Two years on, Stinson is defying the odds.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 May 2026
Reporters found relatives of store owners defying the odds dozens of times.
—Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Others, like light or gravitational waves, are perfectly content to traverse the vacuum of space, seemingly defying the need for a medium altogether.
—Big Think, 7 May 2026
Gwen Stefani praises 'crazy exchange of love' Stefani, 56, was an age-defying whirlwind.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Current conditions, with the labor market defying fears of a deeper trough and inflation staying high due primarily to the impact from tariffs and the Iran war, have kept the Fed in a holding pattern on interest rates.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Republicans in Indiana’s Senate tested voters’ tolerance for defying the president.
—Patrick Marley, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
Beauty as chief financial officer at just 35, Mandy Fields knows a little something about defying limits.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Two years on, Stinson is defying the odds.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 May 2026
Reporters found relatives of store owners defying the odds dozens of times.
—Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Others, like light or gravitational waves, are perfectly content to traverse the vacuum of space, seemingly defying the need for a medium altogether.
—Big Think, 7 May 2026
Gwen Stefani praises 'crazy exchange of love' Stefani, 56, was an age-defying whirlwind.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Current conditions, with the labor market defying fears of a deeper trough and inflation staying high due primarily to the impact from tariffs and the Iran war, have kept the Fed in a holding pattern on interest rates.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 6 May 2026
Republicans in Indiana’s Senate tested voters’ tolerance for defying the president.
—Patrick Marley, Washington Post, 6 May 2026
Beauty as chief financial officer at just 35, Mandy Fields knows a little something about defying limits.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
Verb
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Saulter was being investigated for allegedly falsifying time sheets, disobeying a direct order and failing to report part-time employment properly.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
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Authorities last August removed Dodik from the post of the president and temporarily banned him from politics for disobeying Schmidt's decisions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Riley Keough wore a strapless black gown anchored by an oversized sculptural skirt and daring high slit.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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And Horizon established its physics language long ago, and isn’t daring to upset what has worked before.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
14 May 2026
Verb
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While still politically uncompromising and laced with cutting wit, All of a Sudden is a remarkably open-hearted work, confronting seemingly intractable systems with a simple belief in people.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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Its second, which first aired in 2014, has Valerie confronting the dysfunction of her former workplaces.—
Caroline Framke,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Verb
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She was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence and being in a park after hours.—
Steven Yablonski,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
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The arrests were on various charges, including affray, possession of narcotics, resisting without violence and unlawful possession of a weapon, according to the Tampa Police Department.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Common laundry habits — ignoring dryer vent buildup, leaving wet clothes in the washer, using hot water on everything and skipping the washing machine gasket — can damage appliances, ruin fabrics and even create a fire risk.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
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Among other things, ABC argued that it was being singled out for regulatory action while ignoring radio talk shows, which also are covered by the rule, and routinely feature candidates.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), there is no residency requirement to file a lawsuit challenging a project’s environmental review.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Lander, who’s got the backing of Mayor Mamdani, is challenging Goldman from the left.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Brown is still building up his pitch count with his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, requiring high efficiency facing Major League Baseball’s best offense to give them that many outs.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
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Kubiak has experience going against the group in practices last season, but facing his former boss in Mike MacDonald will be a tall task.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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When an opposing superstar is cooking, which can happen in the playoffs, their firepower becomes an issue.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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Ashlee Casey with the Sacramento Water Forum said that opposing groups including environmentalists, developers, farmers and cities have all reached an agreement on how to best use water that's released from Folsom Dam and flows down the American River.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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