fly in the face of

phrase

variants or fly in the teeth of
: to stand or act forthrightly or brazenly in defiance or contradiction of
His explanation flies in the face of the evidence.

Examples of fly in the face of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But now their homeowners association is threatening them with a $100 fine, arguing the display of Old Glory flies in the face of community rules. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fly in the face of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly%20in%20the%20face%20of. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!