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
Relevance
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
Mango’s is a cultural landmark that defies categories.
—
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Just like in the show, blistering choreography that defies every law of physics known to man pits slayer and demon against each other with artistic flourishes personified by elements of the natural world.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
In the historic Walled City, Casa Bohème transforms a historic building into a new destination that defies definition.
—Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Joseph of Egypt tells the Old Testament story about Joseph, who, betrayed by jealous brothers, defies all expectations and rises to incredible power in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, a lack of suspects prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to team up with Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025
Critics—who include Democrats, civil rights groups and environmentalists—have said detainees at the facility are forced to endure unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane living conditions and that Alligator Alcatraz defies environmental laws.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Musk’s own apparent approach to Zuckerberg in his bid for OpenAI defies nearly a decade of hostility between the two tech founders, beginning in 2016 when a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed a Facebook satellite on board.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
But weather, of course, defies consistency.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Just like in the show, blistering choreography that defies every law of physics known to man pits slayer and demon against each other with artistic flourishes personified by elements of the natural world.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
In the historic Walled City, Casa Bohème transforms a historic building into a new destination that defies definition.
—Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Joseph of Egypt tells the Old Testament story about Joseph, who, betrayed by jealous brothers, defies all expectations and rises to incredible power in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
After a sudden and seemingly impossible murder rocks the town, a lack of suspects prompts local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) to team up with Blanc to unravel a mystery that defies all logic.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025
Critics—who include Democrats, civil rights groups and environmentalists—have said detainees at the facility are forced to endure unsafe, unsanitary and inhumane living conditions and that Alligator Alcatraz defies environmental laws.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Musk’s own apparent approach to Zuckerberg in his bid for OpenAI defies nearly a decade of hostility between the two tech founders, beginning in 2016 when a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed a Facebook satellite on board.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
But weather, of course, defies consistency.
—Maggie Heyn Richardson, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
-
Today, the term is lobbed at anyone who dares question the optimism of infinite progress.—
Roy Scranton,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Sep. 2025
-
So this week, as Mercury reminds you to connect with grace and Venus dares you to simplify your love and money story, know that the real magic is already germinating under the surface.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Subsequently, Belly confronts Jeremiah, who explains that the hook-up happened while he and Belly were briefly broken up.—
Alexandra Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Private life may be on the back burner when Mercury confronts Saturn.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Wool is natural and resists mold and mildew.—
Omaid Homayun,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Such inquiry takes time and stubbornly resists quantification; its effects are complex and diffuse, embedded in the long arc of a doctor’s moral life.—
Rachel Pearson,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For most companies and CEOs, the metrics would be preposterously out of reach — among them are an eight-fold increase in market valuation and a 30-fold increase in earnings — but that ignores Musk’s ability to marshal investor enthusiasm and pull off new product launches.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But this framing ignores reality.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The exhibition challenges traditional art historical narratives and showcases how these women embraced action painting, gestural abstraction, and large-scale experimentation to create dynamic, influential works.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
His second recommendation—renting instead of buying—challenges conventional wisdom about homeownership.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Trump is a man of many hats Immigration has become the dominant political issue in Britain, eclipsing concerns over a faltering economy, as the country faces a record number of asylum claims.—
Vitalii Yalahuzian,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
As Israel mobilizes an additional 60,000 reservists for its Gaza City offensive, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a showdown over mandatory military service for the Ultra-Orthodox community, a debate sharpened by the strain on reservists pulled from their families for months at a time.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
China strongly deplores and firmly opposes the move.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The chief of staff opposes military rule in Gaza and believes Israel should look ahead to the day after and draw a political solution accordingly.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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