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
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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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defy
For composer Bryce Dessner, working on a film like Sing Sing was all about defying expectations in the score.
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Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024
Only Folie à Deux defies the rule, but it arguably was ignored enough and disappointing enough that a redemptive return could wind up eagerly embraced by the time two more years have passed without Batman in theaters (and four total years since The Batman).
—Mark Hughes, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Yet Madi defied the odds to live on for the next couple of years.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged crimes in Ukraine, defied the warrant by visiting Mongolia in September, but did not risk a visit to South Africa in 2023.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defy 
Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024
Only Folie à Deux defies the rule, but it arguably was ignored enough and disappointing enough that a redemptive return could wind up eagerly embraced by the time two more years have passed without Batman in theaters (and four total years since The Batman).
—Mark Hughes, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Yet Madi defied the odds to live on for the next couple of years.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged crimes in Ukraine, defied the warrant by visiting Mongolia in September, but did not risk a visit to South Africa in 2023.
—Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for defy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy
Verb
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The police have filed criminal complaints against Duterte and her security detail, accusing them of disobeying orders and hindering a congressional inquiry involving her chief of staff.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
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In 2017, Trump pardoned former Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was charged with criminal contempt of court for disobeying a federal judge's order to stop racially profiling in detaining individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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What is a witch, if not a powerful woman who dares to defy the gravity of societal norms and expectations?Anita Kopacz, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
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The brutal crackdown extinguished the rebellion and also served as a warning to anyone else who dared challenge his authority.Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In a poignant sequence in the first book, Tara is confronted, each morning, with having to explain to Thomas what has happened, and what will occur again.Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Where to watch:Disney+, video on demand 6. 'Civil War' With his riveting cautionary tale, director Alex Garland takes our current political and cultural divide to a disturbing place and makes audiences confront what an actual modern civil war would look like.Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The president apologized to the nation on Saturday morning but resisted calls to resign ahead of the vote.Cynthia Kim, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
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Clients Resisting Change; Coaches Not Building Trust Executive coaching may not succeed if the client resists change and seeks validation rather than growth.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Spider-Man is too big a property, with far too much potential and too many fantastic stories to tell, for Sony to ignore the value of any property for long, regardless of the shelving of the SSU for now.Mark Hughes, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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For someone to single out sports betting as uniquely damaging is disingenuous and ignores the broader context of how Americans allocate discretionary income.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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To make this a roster that isn’t in the periphery — or worse, forgotten by the general public — but once again challenging for the top of the league.Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024
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But this flavor swaps dirty diesel for a clean and quiet electric drivetrain built around a 74-kWh battery pack for more than 90 miles (150 km) of hauling over all kinds of challenging terrain.Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Payers are focused on reducing costs to boost profitability, often leading to friction with healthcare providers who face increasing administrative burdens and diminishing financial returns.Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
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The suspect in Thompson’s death, Mangione, a Gilman graduate, faces five charges in New York, the most serious being second-degree murder, which in New York is roughly the same as Maryland’s first degree murder statute.Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 17 Dec. 2024
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On Saturday, the group stormed the city of Homs where the Syrian rebellion began in 2011, also releasing prisoners who had opposed Assad's regime and languished in Syria's infamous jails for years.ABC News, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024
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Yoon's party called for his removal on Friday, although the party remained formally opposed to impeachment.Landon Mion, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defy
Cite this Entry
“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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