DEFY Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

defy

verb

di-ˈfī

Definition of defy

as in to disobey

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to dare

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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as in to confront

to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to resist

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 defy While some of these have been linked to the supernova-explosive death of massive stars that can create a neutron star or a black hole, others have defied explanation. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Over an untucked ecru button-up and straight-legged navy trousers, D’Arcy wore a gravity-defying blazer, looking as though they got caught in a gust of wind. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Von Miller has not just defied his age but seemingly ignored it, and for a long time sacked it. — Mac Engel october 6, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026 Biggest upset of its kind in Georgia history Stephens County defeated Hart County 44-28 in a game that defied the rule of common opponents, if not common sense, last week. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defy

Verb

The creditors’ lawsuit describes Kenny as a bullying presence who routinely threatened to fire anyone who disobeyed his orders.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Cops had issued summonses to the driver twice before, once in 2024 for failing to yield to a pedestrian and in 2018 for disobeying a traffic device, officials said.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of disobey

Verb

Concurrently Vaccarello was designing his own line, launched in 2008, which was distinguished by surgically precise cuts that showcased the body in daring ways.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
The following excerpt focuses on Wall Street, the film that emboldened Douglas to take the kind of risks many of his actor peers didn’t dare.

— Michael Douglas, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of dare

Verb

Away from the court, league officials and players also confronted online harassment and a widening debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Why a 'partial yield' works so quickly When your partner confronts you, some part of them is preemptively braced for the effort of convincing you.

— Mark Travers, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of confront

Verb

Gibson was convicted of unlawful gun possession and misdemeanor resisting arrest for not exiting the elevator, but the jury acquitted him of felony resisting arrest.

— Senior Editor, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
However, experts on military law said Hasan could choose to resist execution and file a habeas petition in civilian court, which could significantly delay the execution.

— Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of resist

Verb

Corbett said such arguments ignore Illinois’ long history of underfunding public schools, with the state providing only about a quarter of school districts’ revenue, according to the State Board of Education’s most recent Illinois Report Card.

— Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
The shame lies with the governments who ignored the AIDS crisis and the stigma that was around people and the innate prejudice that was in society.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of ignore

Verb

Exec produced by Sylvester Stallone and filmed in British Columbia, the show challenges ordinary people to survive alone in an unforgiving wilderness with no training, no supplies, and no contact with the outside world.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
The archaic legal restrictions restricting same-sex couples or unmarried women, for example, are acknowledged and adhered to, rather than being openly challenged or criticized.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenge

Verb

Brendan McDermid | Reuters Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warned on Thursday that stocks face mounting pressure from rising bond yields and the prospect of weaker corporate cash flows, even as earnings continue to grow.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Yet people who use drugs continue to face significant stigma in our health care system and in the broader public policy debate.

— Philip A. Chan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of face

Verb

This was a leftism distinct from Marxism and later communism, but nonetheless opposed to the state, the capitalist class, and clericalism.

— Ed Simon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Oct. 2026
Polling conducted by the Associated Press/NORC last year shows that more Americans oppose the current biannual clock change than those who support it—47% compared to just 12%.

— Chantelle Lee, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of oppose

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defunds

defy

defying

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“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defy. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of defy

verb

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