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 But these magical, convention-defying places are also one of our greatest allies in the fight against climate change. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 Who has oversight of a car that flies, hovers or otherwise defies gravity? — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 These young people have defied prohibitions on protest, breached draconian security clampdowns, and endured detentions to relentlessly question the government’s authority. — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 The story follows a proud Scot and Laird of Castle Drummoch (Branagh) who defies a shadowy American billionaire (Peter Sarsgaard) hellbent on buying up the glens. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 15 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

At one point, Tillis dares Douthat to jump across the tracks of Congress’s private subway system.

— Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
How could anyone dare try to top Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation, penned by—and starring, alongside Kate Winslet— Emma Thompson?

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of dare

Verb

Netanyahu, two weeks out from close elections that could end his time in power, is again confronted with an issue that has drawn growing international condemnation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of confront

Verb

And strength to resist reducing complex human challenges to slogans, enemies, or simple answers.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
The new generation of therapeutic peptides is chemically modified to resist breakdown in the gastrointestinal tract, where traditional peptide drugs degrade before they can be absorbed.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of resist

Verb

Peltola, who represented Alaska's at-large district from 2022 to 2025, is challenging Sullivan, a two-term incumbent.

— Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Uncertainty and change have always been challenging to handle, for some people more than others, said Michel Dugas, a psychology professor at the University of Québec in Outaouais.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenge

Verb

The co-pilot accused of carrying out the attack is under arrest and facing prosecution by UAE authorities.

— Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Many depend on critical minerals such as copper and rare earth elements that face growing supply chain pressures.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of face

Verb

Before the hearing began, several dozen people rallied outside the courthouse to oppose the continuing presence of the military in the city.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Many of those executed were arrested in Derna and Benghazi cities during or after conflicts between the LNA and opposing armed groups between 2014 and 2018, according to the Wednesday report.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of defy

verb

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