defied

verb

past tense of defy
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

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2
as in dared
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat after missing the target, she defied her boyfriend to do better

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3
as in confronted
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 resisted
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

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 Destiny’s Child member defied the usual sky-high shoe trend at award shows. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 29 June 2026 While Japan were widely expected to progress beyond the group stage, Australia have defied the odds to make it this far. — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 29 June 2026 The president has harshly criticized judges who have ruled against him, and his administration has sometimes defied their orders. — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 From businesswomen and lawyers to pilots and mothers, the Miss Subways defied the odds stacked against women of their time and hope that young women today do the same. — Noelle Lilley, CBS News, 30 June 2026 But yesterday, the group defied Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four bishops without his approval. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 July 2026 In an absolutely unreal rally following an early deficit, Ecuador has defied the odds to beat group leader Germany here in New Jersey. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026 Xhaka was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season as Sunderland defied all expectations to finish seventh, three places above Chelsea. — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 In the tournament in Mexico, Israel’s all-amateur team defied expectations, losing 0-2 to Uruguay but notching draws against Sweden and Italy before being eliminated. — Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
  1. disobeyed
  2. dared
  3. confronted
  4. resisted
  5. ignored
  6. challenged
  7. faced
  8. opposed
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
Definition of disobeyed
Verb
  • Members of white government clubs hassled their white neighbors into political lockstep and advertised physical and financial retribution for any Black person who dared to vote.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
  • Tillman, whose right foot was bloodied before the kick because a Bosnian player stepped on it, still arced a shot over five standing Bosnians, into an unsaveable spot that keeper Nikola Vasilj almost dared Tillman to target.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 2 July 2026
Definition of dared
Verb
  • Once inside, she’s confronted by Tommy (James Eddie), who stupidly grabs her to escort her out.
    — William Earl, Variety, 2 July 2026
  • In September 2025, Kiara Jenkins was preparing to leave for a trip to Atlanta with friends when Eddie Jenkins showed up at her home dressed all in black with his hood up and confronted her about the trip, prosecutors said.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of confronted
Verb
  • Hibon says the filmmakers deliberately resisted recreating the look of the old cartoon.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026
  • Europe has long resisted air conditioning as noisy, an eyesore on architectural facades and unnecessary, as brutal summer heat has been relatively short-lived.
    — Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Definition of resisted
Verb
  • Their food might be the first mention in Talat’s many accolades, but their bar program can’t be ignored.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Not only were the rules misapplied, according to an expert referee with years of elite experience, but similar plays during this tournament have been ignored.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • News to know now The Supreme Court said Texas can enforce age verification and parental consent requirements for most apps while those rules are being challenged as a free-speech violation.
    — Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Belgium challenged the decision on Monday morning, but FIFA overturned it, clearing the way for Balogun to return.
    — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of challenged
Verb
  • The governor faced mass backlash from activists across the country for his office's statement.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Despite the widespread support in the Assembly, the bill faced a wide array of opposition that included trade groups for large social media companies, organizations that support young people and advocates for digital privacy.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of faced
Verb
  • All Democrats in Congress vehemently opposed the bill and three Senate Republicans—Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina—voted against it.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Mayor Rusty Knox has been one of the voices opposed to expanding the lanes.
    — Michael Praats, Charlotte Observer, 4 July 2026
Definition of opposed

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deficits
defied
defier
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Cite this Entry

“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of defied for Spanish Speakers

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