Showing Results for "defied"

defied

[dih-fahyd] / dɪˈfaɪd /

VERB

challenge, frustrate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

confront disregard elude flout ignore mock oppose provoke resist ridicule spurn thwart violate withstand

STRONG

baffle beard brave contemn dare defeat deride despise face foil front gibe insult repel repulse scorn slight stick venture

WEAK

fly in face of hang tough hurl defiance at make my day outdare stick fast take one on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist flatter help note pay attention praise regard respect

STRONG

abet admire attract commend compliment encourage give up hide like love

WEAK

give in obey surrender yield

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The mansion’s goings-on were evidence that Hefner had amassed enough money and prestige to get his way, even when his way defied social norms, public-health best practices, and the law.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

In a brief phone call with the BBC, the US president denied the Israeli PM had defied him, saying: "If I tell him to do something, he does it."

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Anthropic, which is expected to go public this year, defied skeptics by posting explosive sales growth and its first operating profit in the second quarter—powered by coding tools that have become popular with corporate clients.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

Behind the scenes, Monroe founded her own production company, attended the prestigious Actors Studio in New York, and even defied the studios.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Howard challenged the anonymous writer to produce proof of his charges and angrily defied anyone in the room to give him a plausible argument for how the allegations could have been possible.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand