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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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 The display defied restrictions preventing Israeli participants from competing under their national flag. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Throughout his illustrious career, 71-year-old filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa has defied being bound and chained to any specific genre. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026 Post Opinions writers share which appointees have defied expectations. — Washington Post Opinions, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2026 While on the surface, that’s a startling drop for a nameplate that has long defied the normal premium sports car depreciation curve. — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 This week, gold defied the bearish case to consolidate above the important $4,000 per ounce level. — Sean Conlon,hugh Leask,justina Lee,sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026 Certainly, the slim margin defied a sense, in the final days of the race, that El-Sayed was running away with it—an idea that El-Sayed did little to dispel. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 The result is a further layer of complexity in what has become a series of overlapping conflicts that have defied resolution and risk inflicting even greater harm on the world economy in the weeks and months ahead. — Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 The language of the protest was distinctively Internet-native, as young protesters defied intimidation using memes, Gen Z slang, creative posters, and dark humor to criticize the actions of the government and the police. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defied
  1. disobeyed
  2. dared
  3. confronted
  4. resisted
  5. ignored
  6. challenged
  7. faced
  8. opposed
Verb
  • 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
  • Ulysses expresses sorrowful regret for having disobeyed Zeus’ Law – essentially the Golden Rule – in sacking Troy.
    — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 16 July 2026
Definition of disobeyed
Verb
  • By contrast, Hamas’ strategy was to put its own civilians in harm’s way by building a tunnel system under cities that dared Israel to kill civilians in order to get to Hamas’ warriors.
    — Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Many a middle-schooler has had to play tetherball, but how many dared to add bees to the mix?
    — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of dared
Verb
  • Democrats face fundraising disadvantages compared with Republicans, along with financial debt, and Martin has confronted criticism over his stewardship of the party.
    — Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Their songs confronted rape culture, body shaming and the politics of gender while making room for queerness, friendship and collective strength — subjects that, as the band now sees it, remain painfully current.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of confronted
Verb
  • Habib, who joined the department in 2007, was responding to a 911 call at a Bronx catering hall in 2023 when a drunk and disorderly man resisted arrest, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • When automobiles first came about, the island’s carriage drivers successfully resisted them.
    — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of resisted
Verb
  • And while in some cases online classes can’t be ignored, the preference is that players attend in the classroom.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • Patriarchal norms are increasingly challenged by women empowered by progressive legislation that requires half of political parties’ candidates to be women and, at least on paper, guarantees women’s access to land ownership.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Going forward, tickets that are fewer than 20 days old will be eligible to be challenged online.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenged
Verb
  • Lionel Messi returned to Subaru Park Wednesday night, drawing fans from across the region as Inter Miami CF faced the Philadelphia Union.
    — Eva Andersen, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • According to some reports, travelers have faced long lines and even missed connecting flights as airports deal with growing pains during the transition to biometric kiosks.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of faced
Verb
  • At a recent information session hosted by the county, about half of the people who delivered public comments were in favor of keeping the plant open, and half were vehemently opposed.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Widely favored by environmentalists and government planners, the idea is generally opposed by real estate agents and anyone who owns a house or business at the beach.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposed

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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 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of defied for Spanish Speakers

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