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
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Recent Examples of defied
For some years now, the Washington Post newsroom has defied gravity, thanks to the internal ethic just described.
—
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Schiltz appended a four-page list of 96 court orders that ICE had defied.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
One company that defied the trend was Cisco, whose stock finished the day up 3%.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
For its part, the stock market has defied financial fears during recent government shutdowns.
—ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Himanshu Sharma | Afp | Getty Images New Delhi has defied expectations of experts by offering to ease tariffs on sectors such as automotive and agriculture, which are particularly sensitive to the levies.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
According to Netflix, The 99’ers follows the 1990s US Women’s National Soccer Team who, in 1999, under the scorching summer sun and in a stadium filled with 93,000 fans, defied the odds to emerge victorious in a dramatic penalty kick shootout against China in the World Cup final.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
But through years of determination, physical therapy, and sheer grit, Justin defied expectations by taking his first unassisted steps and eventually discovering a love for distance running.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Dana Kraft said there is no coincidence that the program has seen overwhelming success in its inaugural year, while Vrabel has defied expectations in his first season as head coach, backed by the 16-3 Patriots.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Schiltz appended a four-page list of 96 court orders that ICE had defied.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
One company that defied the trend was Cisco, whose stock finished the day up 3%.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
For its part, the stock market has defied financial fears during recent government shutdowns.
—ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Himanshu Sharma | Afp | Getty Images New Delhi has defied expectations of experts by offering to ease tariffs on sectors such as automotive and agriculture, which are particularly sensitive to the levies.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
According to Netflix, The 99’ers follows the 1990s US Women’s National Soccer Team who, in 1999, under the scorching summer sun and in a stadium filled with 93,000 fans, defied the odds to emerge victorious in a dramatic penalty kick shootout against China in the World Cup final.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
But through years of determination, physical therapy, and sheer grit, Justin defied expectations by taking his first unassisted steps and eventually discovering a love for distance running.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Dana Kraft said there is no coincidence that the program has seen overwhelming success in its inaugural year, while Vrabel has defied expectations in his first season as head coach, backed by the 16-3 Patriots.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
Verb
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Hours after the shooting, Noem defended the ICE officer who shot Good, saying the woman had blocked federal officers with her SUV and disobeyed orders to get out of her vehicle.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
9 Jan. 2026
-
One aviation expert argued that IndiGo not only disobeyed the regulations, but also increased its domestic flights without increasing crew and pilots.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Women were very fashionable in Cairo and never dared go out in raggedy clothes.—
Letters To The Editor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Critics haven’t dared sit through this yet.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Keith Gasco was part of a SWAT team that confronted a gunman in a Family Dollar store in Spencer on February 3.—
Mike Toole,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Meanwhile, his friend Martin has his own point of view and Loran himself is confronted by his lifelong search for solitude.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rather than mimicking human movement for its own sake, Atlas prioritizes efficiency, balance, and perception, aiming to solve industrial tasks that have historically resisted automation.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Jes Staley, a high-ranking executive who was Epstein’s primary contact, was among those who resisted cutting ties.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
So, the fact that the Illinois fireworks ban is roundly ignored by Illinoisans is not a surprise to anyone, as the night skies prove on Independence Day.—
Brad Weisenstein,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Ackerly says the lesson is simple but often ignored.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The planned 90,000-square-foot project would represent the most significant change to the White House grounds in decades and is advancing even as it is challenged in court and questioned on Capitol Hill.—
Dan Diamond,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
-
He’s being challenged by Kenya Franklin, a media consultant on political campaigns.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nanos also reportedly faced a criminal election interference investigation stemming from the matter.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The actor and sculptor, who played the Marv in the first two Home Alone movies, faced one misdemeanor charge of engaging or agreeing to engage in prostitution stemming from an incident in December.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the past, New Delhi had opposed tariffs on sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ the bulk of the country's population.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
While more than 135 letters from our community, including from Governor Polis and the Colorado State Patrol, opposed her release, the closure of this referral is not a result of this overwhelming community response.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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