1
as in disobeys
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronts
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 resists
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 defies
The novel’s meaning also defies a unifying understanding.
—
Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Desert Warrior is set in seventh-century Arabia, where Princess Hind (Hart) defies her fate, refusing to become a concubine to the ruthless Emperor Kisra (Kingsley).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Or mention the manner in which Elordi somehow defies basic physics and lifts Robbie up by her corset strings.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Such name-calling defies the typical Idaho Republican approach, observers say.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The British premiere also stars Aliyah Odoffin, Wilf Scolding, Ashley Thomas, and Lorraine Toussaint, examining an ambitious Black reporter who defies her editor to pursue an incendiary lead.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Today, the hotel happily defies headlines about Kyoto’s overtourism issues.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Congress looks increasingly deadlocked, public opposition to his aggressive moves at home and abroad mounts, and the central issue for many Americans – cost-of-living concerns – defies easy solutions.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
Robert Price, a Gladstone resident who joined the protest, said the way the country has approached immigration enforcement defies its values.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2026
Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
Desert Warrior is set in seventh-century Arabia, where Princess Hind (Hart) defies her fate, refusing to become a concubine to the ruthless Emperor Kisra (Kingsley).
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Or mention the manner in which Elordi somehow defies basic physics and lifts Robbie up by her corset strings.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
Such name-calling defies the typical Idaho Republican approach, observers say.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
The British premiere also stars Aliyah Odoffin, Wilf Scolding, Ashley Thomas, and Lorraine Toussaint, examining an ambitious Black reporter who defies her editor to pursue an incendiary lead.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Today, the hotel happily defies headlines about Kyoto’s overtourism issues.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
Congress looks increasingly deadlocked, public opposition to his aggressive moves at home and abroad mounts, and the central issue for many Americans – cost-of-living concerns – defies easy solutions.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
Robert Price, a Gladstone resident who joined the protest, said the way the country has approached immigration enforcement defies its values.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
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Still, a young kid is a young kid no matter the era, and to fulfill his wish of seeing real dinosaurs, Arco disobeys his parents.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Is anything more engaging than a good murder mystery—one that dares you to guess who did it, and why?—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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And anyone who dares to peek behind the curtain—journalists, dissident professors, activists, even, bizarrely, the Iranian president himself—becomes a threat to the regime.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With a tone that's equally anxious and lovesick, the British singer confronts domestic bliss and finds her stride.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 Feb. 2026
-
What to do about the crisis that sociology confronts?—
Wendy Nelson Espeland,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Toruño resists the label of activist but embraces the political nature of her work.—
Yamlek Mojica,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
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This would not be possible in two or three dimensions, but the words are arranged in tens of thousands of them, a geometry that doggedly resists visualization.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Once a frame is captured, the chip ignores the full image and registers only moving objects.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
College play can now pay a lot more and prove much more marketable, given that media largely ignores the minor leagues.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit challenges the city of Hobart’s Plan Commission decision to convert a site plan review application into a fill permit during a public meeting, despite the application lacking basic information required under city ordinance.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
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Look for anything that challenges you.—
Amanda Gardner,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Co-Production Opportunities, AI Challenges Spain’s agenda at Berlin’s EFM also includes sessions on co-production opportunities with Spain and on the broader challenges the industry faces as AI technologies accelerate across production and distribution.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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Today, Bad Bunny faces similar backlash for challenging societal norms — both are simply pushing boundaries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Councilor Jesse Brown, who represents the area just south of the site in question, opposes the project.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
12 Feb. 2026
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Bolton opposes the developer’s plan to move the live oak, arguing that moving the tree could kill it.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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