defied

verb

past tense of defy
1
as in disobeyed
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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2
as in dared
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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3
as in confronted
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm

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4
as in resisted
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 defied 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 Tiki bars have been celebrated, and criticized, but at least here in SoCal many have survived and defied trends. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Ozon is the next economic pressure point Russia's economy has defied the skeptics. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 In ways that are hard to conceive of now, early-nineteenth-century politicians simply defied the Court. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Researchers spent decades trying to target a group of mutations called RAS — responsible for nearly a third of all human cancers — but the protein’s flat shape defied typical drugs. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 The results of Niccol’s sustained investments and commitment to his employees have been nothing short of astonishing, bearing out in financial results which have defied Wall Street consensus by miles. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 For Mara Isaacs, the show’s creative producer, the outsized box office returns are just the latest milestone for a production that has defied the odds at every point. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026 The display defied restrictions preventing Israeli participants from competing under their national flag. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
  1. disobeyed
  2. dared
  3. confronted
  4. resisted
  5. ignored
  6. challenged
  7. faced
  8. opposed
Verb
  • Jeanie Buss also wants proof that Joey and Janie Buss disobeyed the 2017 court order, along with an order requiring them to show cause of why they should not be held in contempt of court.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Once upon a time, but not so long ago, there was a woman who disobeyed her father by loving another man.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of disobeyed
Verb
  • Hence, nobody dared to approach the horse, and its owner wasn’t found.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Thor would have dared the rioters to come closer, then kicked their collective butts.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dared
Verb
  • While the inquiry reached no conclusion on whether the Russini-Vrabel relationship was romantic, Semel noted that Russini, after Page Six confronted her about the photos in April, waited two days before telling her editors and managers.
    — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As new waves of feminists confronted different issues, some became exasperated by Steinem’s seemingly perennial role as the face of the women’s movement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of confronted
Verb
  • The suspect was uncooperative during the contact and physically resisted, briefly pulling the officer partially inside his vehicle, Lincoln police said in a social media post.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The tribute carries particular resonance because Parton had previously resisted efforts to put her own legacy on a pedestal.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of resisted
Verb
  • Neighbors said their complaints about the empty lot were ignored for years until a fire burned part of the property and neighbor Kayt Miranda's garage early on Wednesday morning.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • Davis’ defense attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged jurors to identify evidence outside Davis’ own statements that placed him in Las Vegas or inside the Cadillac on the night Shakur was shot.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the emotionally stunted John claims not to harbor ill feelings toward Hal, though this is most certainly challenged by the end of the episode.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenged
Verb
  • That progression is important because solid-state batteries have faced a difficult transition from promising laboratory cells to reliable, high-volume manufacturing.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The psychological thriller, which Zeller wrote, produced and directed, follows the emotional and moral challenges faced by a couple in an increasingly uncertain world.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of faced
Verb
  • There, the president’s order and the post office rule enforcing it will certainly be opposed by the Court’s three liberal justices, who disagreed with the conclusion that opponents had filed their case too soon.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The union has opposed such a window on the belief players would feel forced into subpar contracts.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposed

Browse Nearby Words

deficits
defied
defier
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Cite this Entry

“Defied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defied. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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