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 Schomburg spent his life defying these prohibitions and erasures. —
Laura E. Helton, Literary Hub, 20 Apr. 2026 Many among the global left see Sánchez as a progressive hero for defying Trump, while in Spain, the American president has distracted from Sánchez’s domestic challenges. —Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 19 Apr. 2026 Wars have a way of defying plans and spinning out of control, and this one is no exception. —Marc Champion, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026 Unless … Unless James can juke Father Time and pull off another odds-defying dead lift for the ages. —Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Ladapo and Kennedy have downplayed vaccine safety, defying decades of scientific evidence to the contrary. —Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 Perhaps no one is better at defying expectations than Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. —Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Ryan Gosling’s sci-fi space flick is still defying gravity at the box office, dropping only 23 percent in its fourth week, per Comscore. —Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026 Both researchers say this rule-defying material could also give physicists a better understanding of how glass forms, a phenomenon called the glass transition. —Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 13 Apr. 2026
Laura E. Helton, Literary Hub, 20 Apr. 2026 Many among the global left see Sánchez as a progressive hero for defying Trump, while in Spain, the American president has distracted from Sánchez’s domestic challenges. —Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 19 Apr. 2026 Wars have a way of defying plans and spinning out of control, and this one is no exception. —Marc Champion, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026 Unless … Unless James can juke Father Time and pull off another odds-defying dead lift for the ages. —Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Ladapo and Kennedy have downplayed vaccine safety, defying decades of scientific evidence to the contrary. —Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 Perhaps no one is better at defying expectations than Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. —Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026 Ryan Gosling’s sci-fi space flick is still defying gravity at the box office, dropping only 23 percent in its fourth week, per Comscore. —Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026 Both researchers say this rule-defying material could also give physicists a better understanding of how glass forms, a phenomenon called the glass transition. —Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defying
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The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Nikolas Hart, 25, with six counts, including felony animal cruelty and misdemeanors related to allegations of domestic violence, witness tampering and disobeying a court order.— Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
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He was arraigned Monday and pleaded not guilty to one felony count of animal cruelty, one misdemeanor charge each of injury to a spouse or cohabitant and attempting to dissuade a victim or witness, and three counts of disobeying a court order to not contact the victim.— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
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Elsewhere on the menu, coconut and tamarind flavors mingle, producing fusion-style flavors that push dishes just to the edge, enough to be daring but not too much to alienate diners.— Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2026
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His own series of daring explorations.— Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
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Through the personal stories of activists and intense courtroom battles, host Brendan Patrick Hughes explores themes of faith, rebellion, and the complexities of confronting injustice, ultimately offering a compelling blueprint for modern activism.— Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
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Per the log line, in House of Stassi, Schroeder is stepping back into the spotlight to redefine her place in pop culture — but staying on top means confronting the ghosts of her past and a chaotic inner circle with a talent for disrupting her life.— Katie Campione, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
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The plainclothes detectives, who were wearing NYPD vests, then dragged Brown on the floor, over shards of broken glass, to the front of the store, ordering him to stop resisting.— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
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Kessman suggests resisting the temptation to start deep-cleaning or creating an entire organizing system at this stage.— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 Apr. 2026
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The pope ignoring atrocities The papal mission appears to have overlooked a visit to Nigeria.— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
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The beats lazily play into aughts pastiche, ignoring the 15 years of mutation that have morphed trap into plugg, rage, drill, and SahBabii.— Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
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Other entries follow an expert forager and fermenter in Southern California, adaptive mountain bikers challenging their disabilities in Vermont and native bees in California, which are seeing their populations drastically dwindle.— Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
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Affording a vehicle is challenging for most, and many assembly plants have shuttered in recent years.— CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
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In conjunction with Central Lakes College and Brainerd Walleye Alliance president Adam Mord, Kempe ran a creel survey on three lakes in the Brainerd area to quantify walleye catch rates by anglers using forward-facing sonar.— Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
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The world is facing its biggest energy security threat in history, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, warned today.— Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
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Using Hart on Johnson allowed the Knicks to put 6-7 forward OG Anunoby — normally their defensive stopper against opposing wings — on 6-10 center Onyeka Okongwu, who thrives in the pick-and-pop game.— Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
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Some of the progressives now opposing Iron Dome funding are arguing that Israel does not need the assistance.— Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/defying. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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