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Glite Dictionary
✊ To resist ❓ To be unexplainable
to defy

to defy

178 3.7
Openly refuse to obey someone or seem to resist a force like time
  • verb
  • /dɪˈfaɪ/
translation icon : desafiar
  • She chose to openly defy the school's rules by wearing her own unique style.
  • defy the law
  • defy authority
  • defy the rules

But that kind of power, they will not defy him, right?

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Examples

  • 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

to violate
vsto defy
627 4.4

Break a law, rule, agreement, or promise

is an openly challenging or defiant act, not just a legal breach
to resist
vsto defy
311 2.2

Act against authority, rules or change

focuses more on the public, deliberate nature of the opposition
to go against
vsto defy
206 3.3

To act against a rule, law, or popular opinion

is more forceful and openly challenging rather than just opposing
to disobey
vsto defy
126 3.7

To refuse to follow rules or orders from someone in charge

is broader, including open challenge as well as simple refusal
to rebel
vsto defy
48 4.1

To act against the government or people in power

is typically a single act of open challenge rather than long revolt
to stand up against
vsto defy
22 3.7

To resist a person or rule that treats people unfairly

is more general, covering private or public acts of refusal
to revolt
vsto defy
22 4.9

Rise up against a government or ruler

is usually individual or small-scale open refusal, not mass uprising
to fly in the face of
vsto defy
17 7.6

Openly oppose something, often against common sense or tradition

is similar but emphasizes a direct challenge to authority or orders
to flout
vsto defy
12 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
to stick it to the man
vsto defy
  • Informal
4 9.8

To openly oppose people in power to cause them trouble

is a general open refusal not limited to authority targets
to contravene
vsto defy
  • Formal
2 8.2

To break a law, rule, or agreement

is more about open challenge or refusal, not only legal breach
to fly in the teeth of
vsto defy
  • Archaic
8.6

To openly go against usual rules or advice

is the more general act of openly refusing or challenging

Antonyms

to obey
411 1.0

Do what someone in charge tells you or follow a rule

to submit
187 4.1

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

Idioms

to defy all odds
  • Informal
1 6.2

To succeed or survive despite big problems that make success unlikely

How Defiant

to revolt
22 4.9
to rebel
48 4.1
to flout
12 7.9
to defy
178 3.7
to disobey
126 3.7
challenge
  • Formal
120 3.5
to oppose
∞ 2.9

Surface Forms

defy infinitive
defied past
defied past participle
defying present participle
defies third person singular

Etymology

Defy comes from old parts de- and a part like faith, where de- means 'away' and faith means 'trust'. So to defy someone is to take away 'trust' and openly challenge or refuse to obey them.