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
Players are increasingly defying age by playing well deep into their 30s, and the Mavs are gambling that Irving will fall into the LeBron category.
—
Mac Engel
june 23,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
The Battle of Karbala — where a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad died defying tyranny — feels painfully present for residents of Nabatieh as Israel continues to occupy southern Lebanon.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Iran defying obstacles at the World Cup Iran’s Hossein Kanani applauds fans after a 0-0 draw against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
Dylan Faden wakes up inside the Oldest House — a paranormal, space-defying skyscraper in the center of New York that acts as the headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC).
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Choices range from a deep-cut jazz set from Tokyo, a DJ mix from South London or a genre-defying selection from anywhere in between.
—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Similarly, John Portman’s Entelechy II in Georgia and Ray Kappe’s home in Los Angeles deftly manipulate space and perspective, employing bold geometries and gravity-defying cantilevers to connect airy interiors to the landscape.
—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
Avoid the gravity-defying July lotto tickets.
—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
The company that’s accustomed to defying gravity is now defying market physics.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Mac Engel
june 23,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2026
The Battle of Karbala — where a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad died defying tyranny — feels painfully present for residents of Nabatieh as Israel continues to occupy southern Lebanon.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2026
Iran defying obstacles at the World Cup Iran’s Hossein Kanani applauds fans after a 0-0 draw against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
Dylan Faden wakes up inside the Oldest House — a paranormal, space-defying skyscraper in the center of New York that acts as the headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC).
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Choices range from a deep-cut jazz set from Tokyo, a DJ mix from South London or a genre-defying selection from anywhere in between.
—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Similarly, John Portman’s Entelechy II in Georgia and Ray Kappe’s home in Los Angeles deftly manipulate space and perspective, employing bold geometries and gravity-defying cantilevers to connect airy interiors to the landscape.
—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
Avoid the gravity-defying July lotto tickets.
—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
The company that’s accustomed to defying gravity is now defying market physics.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
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.
-
Icarus disobeying his father Daedalus and flying too close to the sun.
Verb
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One by one, daring participants dash across a 45-foot horizontal telephone pole that's coated in grease, attempting to capture a flag at the end of it.
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Versace isn't one of the world's most famous fashion houses thanks to its subtlety, and the brand's swimsuits are just as bright, bold, and daring as its couture and ready-to-wear collections.
Verb
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Cell phone video shows the woman confronting longtime street vendor Arabelia Martinez at her hot dog cart at Figueroa and 7th Streets.
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While immigration becomes increasingly polarizing in the United States and Europe, Africa's leading economy is also confronting the issue.
Verb
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These stunning, resilient shrub roses are bred to thrive in heat and humidity, resisting related diseases.
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He was arrested for arson, resisting/delaying/obstructing firefighters, and parole hold.
Verb
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Employers are not ignoring these problems.
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Today, the organization is notorious for ignoring infrastructure maintenance in favor of massive building projects.
Verb
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Are the needs of another challenging your emotional state?
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Amid a challenging macroeconomic climate, American design furniture conglomerate MillerKnoll swung to a positive net earnings position in its fiscal fourth quarter.
Verb
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The living room, with abundant west-facing windows brings in soft, bright light.
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Activists say the move could force families into hiding and criticized the return of individuals to a country facing significant instability.
Verb
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Widely hailed as the GOAT by former record-holder Klose, opposing coaches, and his teammates, Messi continues to perform at an elite level, adapting his game with superior soccer IQ.
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This makes the shows exempt from the equal-time rule, which requires equal opportunities for opposing political candidates on non-news programming.
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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