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Glite Dictionary
to defy all odds

to defy all odds

1 6.2
To succeed or survive despite big problems that make success unlikely
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : desafiar todas las probabilidades
  • Opportunity's longevity has remarkably defied all odds.

Examples

  • And you did defy all odds, you know, Because it's so much more than a film.

  • But you guys defy all odds.

    Blog text (3)

  • And you did defy all odds, you know, because it's so much more than a film.

  • That little boy has defied all odds.

    American Underdog (2021)

  • Despite being born with serious health issues, she managed to defy all odds and graduate from college.

  • The team's victory was remarkable as they defied all odds to win the championship after a terrible start to the season.

  • The young athlete continues to defy all odds, overcoming injuries and challenges to compete on an international level.

Synonyms

to make it
vsto defy all odds
  • Informal
311 3.4

To survive after danger or a serious problem

emphasizes succeeding against very unlikely odds rather than mere survival
to come through
vsto defy all odds
218 3.4

To get through a hard time and be okay

is narrower, highlighting unlikely success rather than general recovery
to beat the odds
vsto defy all odds
16 5.3

To succeed despite great difficulty or low chances

is about achieving success despite very low chances rather than mere survival
to push through adversity
vsto defy all odds
5.3

To keep trying and do well despite difficult times

focuses on achieving success even when chances are very small

Antonyms

to fail
898 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

to succumb
44 6.6

To die because of a serious illness or strong force

How Improbable

to defy all odds
  • Informal
1 6.2
to overcome
429 2.9
to manage
∞ 3.2
to succeed
846 2.0

Surface Forms

defy all odds infinitive

Morphology

defy + all + odds

The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'defy' (to resist or challenge) + 'odds' (chances) with 'all' as an intensifier, yielding 'challenge or overcome the chances against you.' This compositional pattern is common and has close parallels in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the component words would very likely infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The phrase defy all odds comes from betting, where odds are the 'chances' against someone and to defy them is to beat those small chances. So the phrase means to succeed or survive when success seems very unlikely.