to defy

Examples

• All

• I defy any rescue boat within a million miles to miss this baby!

  Madagascar (2005)

• Much as he might wish to punish me for defying him, he would not.

  Fiction book (1993)

• What, do you dare to defy this council... and me?

  Francis of Assisi (1961)

• China continues to defy calls from Washington to allow the value of its currency to rise substantially.

  Academic text (2011)

• And yet you yourself defy all those characterizations.

  TED-Ed

• So here they are, defying all conventions.

  H3 Podcast

• They crush all who defy them.

  Explorers (1985)

• To them, he was the man who, with or without a cigar, had defied Hitler and won.

  Academic text (2011)

• The gladiator who defied an emperor.

  Gladiator (2000)

• They really defy expectations!

  Killer Waves 2 (2020)

Synonyms

V

to violate

vsto defy

630 4.4

Break a law, rule, agreement, or promise

is an openly challenging or defiant act, not just a legal breach

R

to resist

vsto defy

350 2.2

Act against authority, rules or change

focuses more on the public, deliberate nature of the opposition

G

to go against

vsto defy

300 3.3

To act against a rule, law, or popular opinion

is more forceful and openly challenging rather than just opposing

D

to disobey

vsto defy

113 3.7

To refuse to follow rules or orders from someone in charge

is broader, including open challenge as well as simple refusal

R

to rebel

vsto defy

80 4.1

To act against the government or people in power

is typically a single act of open challenge rather than long revolt

S

to stand up against

vsto defy

26 3.7

To resist a person or rule that treats people unfairly

is more general, covering private or public acts of refusal

R

to revolt

vsto defy

26 4.9

Rise up against a government or ruler

is usually individual or small-scale open refusal, not mass uprising

F

to flout

vsto defy

16 7.9

To openly disobey a rule or law to show you do not respect it

is broader, covering challenge or refusal beyond mere contempt

F

to fly in the face of

vsto defy

16 7.6

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

is similar but emphasizes a direct challenge to authority or orders

C

to contravene

vsto defy

• Formal

6 8.2

To break a law, rule, or agreement

is more about open challenge or refusal, not only legal breach

S

to stick it to the man

vsto defy

• Informal

5 9.8

To openly oppose people in power to cause them trouble

is a general open refusal not limited to authority targets

F

to fly in the teeth of

vsto defy

• Archaic

1 8.6

To openly go against usual rules or advice

is the more general act of openly refusing or challenging

Antonyms

O

to obey

316 1.0

Do what someone in charge tells you or follow a rule

S

to submit

109 4.1

To accept another person's control, often against your wishes

Idioms

D

to defy all odds

• Informal

1 6.2

To succeed or survive despite big problems that make success unlikely

How Defiant

to revolt

26 4.9

to rebel

80 4.1

to flout

16 7.9

to defy

220 3.7

to disobey

113 3.7

challenge

• Formal

146 3.5

to oppose

610 2.9

Surface Forms

Etymology