1
as in to disobey
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
3
as in to confront
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 to resist
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 defy
Sawyer also claimed that Quality Italian defied city authorities when it was told to get rid of the previous patio.
—
Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
Based on actual events, drama about Ronald Zúñiga, a young man who defies his father and becomes an international thief.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Her survival defied the odds - and the increasingly grim expectations of those following her disappearance.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
By demanding a cut of a private company's sales, in exchange for the right to do business, Trump is defying the traditionally Republican gospel of free-market capitalism.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defy
Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
Based on actual events, drama about Ronald Zúñiga, a young man who defies his father and becomes an international thief.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Her survival defied the odds - and the increasingly grim expectations of those following her disappearance.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
By demanding a cut of a private company's sales, in exchange for the right to do business, Trump is defying the traditionally Republican gospel of free-market capitalism.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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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
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Fletcher was also accused of disobeying a stop sign, improper lane use, driving without proof of insurance, expired registration and possessing unsecured cannabis, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 July 2025
Verb
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This pair of daring temporal adventurers makes hops, skips, and jumps along the time stream with Sam popping up randomly into different bodies throughout history.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Astronauts are on the cusp in the years ahead of journeying all the way to the Red Planet, where so far only rovers and orbiters have dared to venture.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This is exactly the situation confronting one of the nation’s hottest small cap companies today, $516 million (revs) Vita-Coco of New York City, the leading maker of coconut water.—
Sergei Klebnikov,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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The prosecution of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has highlighted the push by President Donald Trump’ s administration to confront state and local authorities who resist his sweeping immigration crackdown.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Money Idaho legislators have long resisted spending — or letting local governments spend.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Aug. 2025
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So far, the Federal Reserve has resisted cutting rates over concerns that tariffs would fuel an inflationary spike, and policymakers were closely watching the economic data over the summer, which gave a mixed picture across inflation and employment.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The rise of individuality Amid all this, another trend cannot be ignored: personalisation.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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He’s even earned a cybersecurity certification and is pursuing spreadsheet certification — underscoring how middle school can also be a springboard into career-building experiences. Friendships and Confidence Matter Just as Much The social aspect of middle school can’t be ignored.—
Zakkiyyah T. White,
USA Today,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The new map is expected to be signed soon by Abbott but then challenged in court by progressive groups.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
25 Aug. 2025
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New daily record highs were set in several cities in the West on Friday and numerous will be challenged in the region once again Saturday afternoon.—
Daniel Peck,
ABC News,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Even after she was exonerated in 2015, Knox still faced public scrutiny, despite the conviction of a man named Rudy Guede.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
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While many Americans continue to face housing challenges—from affordability concerns to limited inventory and years of underbuilding—demand for homeownership remains strong.—
Collyn Wainwright,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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It was frowned upon to fraternize with opposing players during batting practice, so hugging them in the first inning would be totally out of the question.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
23 Aug. 2025
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Because both of the state’s Democratic senators — Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ) — oppose Habba’s nomination, it was doomed for failure due to the power of the blue slips.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.
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