1
as in disobeyed
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronted
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 resisted
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defied
Throughout his career, Murphy has defied easy categorization.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
The fresh jobs data defied any such worries by presenting a rosy picture of the economy in which employers are hiring at a strong pace, a large share of people are staying on the job and wages are rising at a fast rate, analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2024
Last year, her eponymous label tied up with South Korean cult brand Gentle Monster on cool sunglasses flanked by a campaign portraying a bizarre wedding where models defied gravity with heads on the ground and feet up in the air.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024
This book is about twelve individuals who defied the facts of their times—people like Isadora Duncan, Cagliostro, the Prophet Muhammad.
—The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2024
The show defied genres, blending re-enactments of real emergency room cases with commentary from the doctors and nurses who were actually there.
—Spenser Mestel, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024
The goal of our list is to highlight trailblazing women who have defied the odds — about 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women, and female founders draw less than 2% of venture capital dollars.
—Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2024
Alison Herman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
The fresh jobs data defied any such worries by presenting a rosy picture of the economy in which employers are hiring at a strong pace, a large share of people are staying on the job and wages are rising at a fast rate, analysts said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2024
Last year, her eponymous label tied up with South Korean cult brand Gentle Monster on cool sunglasses flanked by a campaign portraying a bizarre wedding where models defied gravity with heads on the ground and feet up in the air.
—Sandra Salibian, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024
This book is about twelve individuals who defied the facts of their times—people like Isadora Duncan, Cagliostro, the Prophet Muhammad.
—The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2024
The show defied genres, blending re-enactments of real emergency room cases with commentary from the doctors and nurses who were actually there.
—Spenser Mestel, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024
The goal of our list is to highlight trailblazing women who have defied the odds — about 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women, and female founders draw less than 2% of venture capital dollars.
—Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
-
Even local state news dared to criticize Putin’s response.Peter Pomerantsev, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
-
By contrast, 20 years ago, only about 5% of Americans dared to rely entirely on cellphones.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Arthur, led from his cell by a guard who wanders off, is confronted by another inmate who proceeds to tell him a joke.Jack Smart, People.com, 3 Oct. 2024
-
With this new evidence, detectives confronted the parent, but the parent continued to deny any involvement or knowledge about the case.Noe Padilla, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
This is likely why Samsung has resisted making a wider Galaxy Fold for six straight iterations.Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
-
Many conservatives and law enforcement leaders have said the measure will deter crime, while progressives and left-leaning Democrats have resisted it, arguing that altering Proposition 47 will only put more Californians behind bars.Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Speaking of genres that the Academy has been undervaluing in top categories, there’s Latin music… and if last year wasn’t a chance for those sounds to get into the big four, this one won’t likely be either, with a less obvious crop of contenders than got ignored last time around.Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
-
Judy Randall, the nonpartisan head of Minnesota’s Office of the Legislative Auditor, said that multiple state agencies under the Walz administration have repeatedly downplayed and ignored looming oversight failures, according to a CNN report.Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
As the job market and our workplace rapidly evolve, driven by technological advancement, employees are challenged significantly by a shift in roles and responsibilities.Santhosh Vijayabaskar, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
-
The rule was initially set to go into effect in 2026, but has been delayed indefinitely as it is challenged in court.Jon McGowan, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Continue reading … ‘LOADED GUN IN MY FACE’ – Garth Brooks has faced a list of controversies over the years.Fox News, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2024
-
In my experience working with emerging market business leaders, these are the best responses to the challenges faced this decade.Radu Magdin, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Several Democratic lawmakers and groups like the American Civil Liberties Union opposed the measure largely because of how it is funded by the new fee tied to criminal convictions.Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
-
The board was shuffled to be more Altman-friendly and several directors who opposed him were forced out.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defied
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share