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
Example 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
The staff member defied management and reported the incidents to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, according to the lawsuit.
—
Lina Ruiz
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the left-leaning swing district six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
At every turn, Porter defied the expectations of his doctors and therapists.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The climbers defied safety restrictions to attempt the 4,445-foot ascent; 17 were evacuated, some with minor burns.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Like the Indiana Republicans who lost their primaries this week, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defied his party leaders on redistricting and drew the most competitive challenger of his career.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 9 May 2026
Proctor, who the State Police fired in early 2025, largely due to misconduct while investigating the Karen Read-John O’Keefe case, defied a subpoena to testify in a King murder case hearing last summer.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
At 41 years old, Vonn's return to the World Cup leaderboard after years of retirement had defied her doubters and turned the world's heads.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026
The documentary When Men Dance, which just held its world premiere at the Miami Film Festival, focuses on talented performers who have defied the taboo, throwing themselves body and soul into the artform.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Lina Ruiz
may 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Valadao has repeatedly defied the odds by winning the left-leaning swing district six out of the past seven elections.
—Mathew Miranda
may 13, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
At every turn, Porter defied the expectations of his doctors and therapists.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 11 May 2026
The climbers defied safety restrictions to attempt the 4,445-foot ascent; 17 were evacuated, some with minor burns.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Like the Indiana Republicans who lost their primaries this week, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defied his party leaders on redistricting and drew the most competitive challenger of his career.
—Erin Cox, Washington Post, 9 May 2026
Proctor, who the State Police fired in early 2025, largely due to misconduct while investigating the Karen Read-John O’Keefe case, defied a subpoena to testify in a King murder case hearing last summer.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
At 41 years old, Vonn's return to the World Cup leaderboard after years of retirement had defied her doubters and turned the world's heads.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 May 2026
The documentary When Men Dance, which just held its world premiere at the Miami Film Festival, focuses on talented performers who have defied the taboo, throwing themselves body and soul into the artform.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
-
However, all of the city’s fire stations seemingly disobeyed the mayor by lowering their flags.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The group says Ensign misled courts, disobeyed court orders and failed to intervene when lawyers under his supervision engaged in misconduct.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Their mother had dared their father to crash the car.—
Weike Wang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
And if Black passengers dared to pull the curtain aside, the dining car steward would hurriedly pull the curtain closed, or worse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit alleges the captain later confronted Steward and attempted to pressure him into taking the matter to human resources in an effort to influence the investigation.—
Ben Wheeler
May 20,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
-
Those leaders charged with deciding who is cut will be questioned, scrutinized and even confronted.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
But Beijing, trying to cultivate local suppliers, has resisted that initiative.—
Ian King,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
-
In the 20th century, many farmers began crossing tomato varieties to create hybrids that looked uniform, resisted disease, and could withstand long-haul shipping to retailers miles away.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The state dashboard and local improvement plans Brown touted are singled out for criticism in the report, essentially validating concerns that reformers had voiced but were ignored.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
In an April statement, the union said the company ignored its March 18 letter and several requests by phone, asking to lift the lockout and allow members to return to work while negotiations continue.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Creeden’s attorney, Andino Reynal, challenged Stapp’s testimony that the union’s constitution requires expenses to be approved by the international president and the secretary-treasurer.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2026
-
The friend threw a glass bottle at Sowells, who then pulled out a sharp object and challenged him to a fight.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Chelsea’s squad demographic falls somewhere in between but is probably closer to the former than the latter, and a football legend with his resume should not encounter the authority problems faced by owner BlueCo’s previous hires.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
As Spanish speakers, some of whom speak little to no English, the mothers on the committee had faced challenges in communicating with teachers, administrators and city leaders about their children’s needs.—
Mariana Navarrete Villegas,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
All Democrats opposed the nominations.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
The new space was 4,000 square feet(as opposed to the original space’s 800) with a full bar and a larger kitchen.—
Amy Reyes,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
