defy

1 of 2

verb

de·​fy di-ˈfī How to pronounce defy (audio)
dē-
defied; defying
Synonyms of defy

transitive verb

1
: to confront with assured power of resistance : disregard
defy public opinion
in trouble for defying a court order
2
: to resist attempts at : withstand
the paintings defy classification
a decision that defies all logic
3
: to challenge to do something considered impossible : dare
defied us to name a better movie
4
archaic : to challenge to combat

defy

2 of 2

noun

de·​fy di-ˈfī How to pronounce defy (audio) ˈdē-ˌfī How to pronounce defy (audio)
plural defies
: challenge, defiance
… observers took this to be a form of defy …—Jack Alexander

Synonyms of defy

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Verb

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Examples of defy in a Sentence

Verb She defied her parents and dropped out of school. The group has continued to defy all efforts to stop them.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
India's quarterly economic growth has exceeded expectations several times over the past year, defying a bleak global trade environment, high energy prices and geopolitical uncertainties. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 If Hilton defies the odds this November, his ideas are all but certain to get a frosty reception in what’s likely to be a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The most improbable player to win a spot on the Miami’s 53 man roster didn’t merely defy the odds by sticking as an undrafted rookie, the only one of more than a dozen Dolphins to do that. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Based on Volpentest’s memoir of the same name, the film chronicles the life of the quadruple congenital amputee who defied expectations to become one of the most accomplished Paralympic sprinters in history. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for defy

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English defien "to renounce, disavow, scorn, challenge to fight," borrowed from Anglo-French defier, desfier, from de-, des- de- + fier "to pledge, trust in, rely on," going back to Vulgar Latin *fīdāre, re-formation of Latin fīdere "to trust (in), have confidence (in)" — more at faith entry 1

Note: The sense history was perhaps "to break faith with" > "to scorn" > "to challenge to a fight," though the latter meaning appears to be the earliest in Old French.

Noun

in part borrowed from Middle French deffy, noun derivative of defier "to challenge, defy entry 1," in part derivative of defy entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun

1580, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defy was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing defy

Rhymes for defy

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Browse Nearby Words

defusion
defy
defy analysis
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Cite this Entry

“Defy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defy. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

defy

verb
de·​fy
di-ˈfī
defied; defying
1
: to challenge to do something considered impossible : dare
the magician defied the audience to explain the trick
2
: to refuse boldly to obey or to yield to : disregard
defy public opinion
3
: to resist attempts at : withstand, baffle
a scene that defies description
defier
-ˈfī(-ə)r
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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