defying

verb

present participle of defy
1
as in disobeying
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 daring
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 confronting
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 resisting
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 defying More Getty Images LeBron James has prolonged his longevity more than just by defying Father Time. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Hamas and Hezbollah remain stubbornly in place, with the latter maintaining its lethality, even as Iraqi militias — defying Baghdad’s attempts at defanging them — have launched attacks on America’s Persian Gulf allies. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 In a statement on Monday, Paramount argued that the 12 states are defying a global consensus that the deal presents no issues of competitive harm and should be approved. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 The film, renowned for its gravity-defying action sequences and post-Matrix wire work, earned Best Picture and Best Director nominations for its soulful, nuanced characterizations and lush visuals. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 That didn't work out so well in the end as Crowley won, defying almost all expectations. — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 The church refused, and Armenia's Prosecutor General's office launched the case against Karekin and the other clerics in February, accusing them of defying a court order and barring them from leaving the country. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026 Over two years, these top spenders expanded their overall staff by 10% and boosted entry-level hiring by 12%, defying other reports that college graduates face a barren job market. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Like so many of the other professors at VCUarts Qatar, Muscolino sought out a genre-defying career, moving between experimental film and video production for architecture firms while playing in a band on the side. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
  1. disobeying
  2. daring
  3. confronting
  4. resisting
  5. ignoring
  6. challenging
  7. facing
  8. opposing
Verb
  • Santana-Mateo was booked on charges of breach of peace, engaging police in a pursuit, disobeying the direction of officer, reckless driving, failure to obey a stop sign, failure to drive right, failure to obey a traffic control signal and driving the wrong way on a one way.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
  • Icarus disobeying his father Daedalus and flying too close to the sun.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Definition of disobeying
Verb
  • Aboard was Katalyst Space's LINK spacecraft, tasked with a daring mission to save NASA's Swift telescope.
    — David Szondy August 20, New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026
  • There’s an almost defiant tone now, as if daring me to tell her to quit.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of daring
Verb
  • Conversations can be indirect due to details being swept under the rug, as someone could be choosing to circle around a particular issue, rather than confronting it head-on.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The crisis is giving new urgency to an energy problem that Bangladesh’s garment manufacturers were already confronting.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of confronting
Verb
  • The gloves must touch someone’s skin directly to produce voltage that causes pain, which is intended to make people stop resisting officers.
    — Kathy McCormack, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Asking about being alone with a Haitian, for instance, prompted a quick lecture on resisting the forces of prejudice.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of resisting
Verb
  • Focusing on just the GPUs themselves—ignoring solar panels, cooling systems, and the rest of the server and networking devices—can at least provide a starting point.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Among various allegations, the suits claim the federal permitting process was accelerated, ignoring critical risks like low-river saltwater intrusion and localized air, noise and traffic pollution.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignoring
Verb
  • The students needed enough solar power to move Stella Juva through challenging terrain while also supporting the medical equipment inside.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Biggs, 67, has seized on the refusal, repeatedly challenging Hobbs to debate and making her absence itself part of his campaign message.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenging
Verb
  • With 168 rooms and suites—some boasting water-facing balconies—the resort displays Texas-forward artwork and contemporary, clean finishes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Now, the man is facing federal felony charges, Reed Williams reports.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of facing
Verb
  • Padilla accused Soto-Martínez of engaging in a double standard, asking the council to defer to his wishes in his district while opposing efforts by his colleagues to establish no-encampment zones in their communities.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • With the series level 1–1, the third Test in Adelaide was highly anticipated; Pataudi was dropped, supposedly for opposing the bodyline tactic.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of opposing

Browse Nearby Words

defy
defying
dégagé
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Cite this Entry

“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of defying for Spanish Speakers

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