1
as in disobeying
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
as in daring
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in confronting
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 resisting
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 defying
Besides defying the subpoenas to testify before the House committee, neither Bill Clinton nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing and both deny having any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
—
John Parkinson, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
But the show tanked, defying all expectations, losing advertisers by the week, and creating tensions between the cast and network over content and tone.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
Repeatedly, the project seems to transcend the projects, defying gravity in its poetic depiction of how this resilient, supportive community comes together around Lil Ant, stepping in where his father stumbles to embrace the boy.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Armed with cultural relevance, introspective lyricism and genre-defying artistry, this album further cemented his dominance not just in música urbana but in popular culture overall, elevating him to true household-name status.
—Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2026
Cal slowly begins to reconnect with old friends while actively defying his father’s dictates.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Yoon was handed a five-year prison term this month for defying authorities' attempts to detain him and other charges related to the martial law decree.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
Earlier this month, Yoon was sentenced to five years for defying attempts to detain him and for denying Cabinet members the chance to debate his martial law decree.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Over the course of his career, director Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a distinct style of absurdist, surrealist and genre-defying filmmaking with projects like The Lobster, Poor Things and Bugonia.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
John Parkinson, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
But the show tanked, defying all expectations, losing advertisers by the week, and creating tensions between the cast and network over content and tone.
—Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
Repeatedly, the project seems to transcend the projects, defying gravity in its poetic depiction of how this resilient, supportive community comes together around Lil Ant, stepping in where his father stumbles to embrace the boy.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026
Armed with cultural relevance, introspective lyricism and genre-defying artistry, this album further cemented his dominance not just in música urbana but in popular culture overall, elevating him to true household-name status.
—Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2026
Cal slowly begins to reconnect with old friends while actively defying his father’s dictates.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Yoon was handed a five-year prison term this month for defying authorities' attempts to detain him and other charges related to the martial law decree.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
Earlier this month, Yoon was sentenced to five years for defying attempts to detain him and for denying Cabinet members the chance to debate his martial law decree.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Jan. 2026
Over the course of his career, director Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a distinct style of absurdist, surrealist and genre-defying filmmaking with projects like The Lobster, Poor Things and Bugonia.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
Verb
-
The country's Supreme Court of Justice removed him from office in 2017 and sentenced him to prison for disobeying a court order to remove barricades during protests against the government of then-President Nicolás Maduro.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The driver, identified as 50-year-old Dawn Dubois, was arrested and charged with operating under the Influence, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to drive in proper lane, according to state police.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Grab the shoes in a classic color like black, burgundy, or olive green, or switch things up with a daring cowhide print.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Mulier was named International Designer of the Year at the 2025 CFDA Awards, in recognition of his daring fashions — and experimental bent.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The judge’s order, which barred federal agents from forcefully confronting or detaining lawful observers, has been temporarily paused by an appeals court.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Family law is already confronting AI-human relationships.—
Lori Andrews,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The driver of the car, identified as 36-year-old Amber O'Neal, was taken to the hospital and then booked into the Jefferson County Jail on unrelated, outstanding warrants for third-degree assault, vehicular eluding, and resisting arrest.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
More effective diplomacy, as demonstrated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron at the same forum, conveys the same message about resisting bullying through measured language that preserves dignity and institutional respect.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This framing effectively provides a rationale for ignoring officers’ commands during field encounters.—
Christina Buttons,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In November, my doctor gently reprimanded me for ignoring my 2024 colonoscopy date.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The case over access to the legal system was one of three federal lawsuits challenging practices at the immigration detention center.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His administration is facing increasing scrutiny after immigration officers killed two American citizens in Minneapolis this month.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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Trump did not say when the conversation with Putin took place, but his comment comes as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving large parts of the country facing power shortages and outages.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In opposing the defense’s motion, prosecutors maintain that preventing jurors from hearing or seeing this material would undermine the judicial process.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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Infantino’s comments opposing bans on national teams comes amid pressure for FIFA to take action against Israel.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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