1
as in disobeys
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronts
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 resists
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defies
Tuesday night’s drawing, which happens an hour before midnight in Atlanta, could mean a holiday windfall for a lucky winner whose $2 ticket defies one in 302,575,350 odds.
—
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
This blanket, however, defies the norm.
—Alicia Geigel, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024
Iterative development is a dynamic process that defies the straightforward calculations that are typical of conventional development.
—Cam Linke, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
The present agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland directly defies the realization of these goals.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Its growth defies a slump that’s seeing foreign beauty giants, from L’Oreal SA to Shiseido, struggle with disappointing sales in China as increasingly frugal shoppers turn to cheaper local upstarts.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
In the chaos of a raging fire, the veteran defies the chief’s orders to withdraw, determined to save an occupant.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
Screening in 70mm at the Aero Theater on December 27, Kubrick’s dark journey through the cosmos is a visual feast that defies description and the perfect film to cap off a year that truly showed us the horrors technology can bring forth.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
The term, of course, defies a hard definition, which is part of the allure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
This blanket, however, defies the norm.
—Alicia Geigel, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024
Iterative development is a dynamic process that defies the straightforward calculations that are typical of conventional development.
—Cam Linke, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
The present agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland directly defies the realization of these goals.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Its growth defies a slump that’s seeing foreign beauty giants, from L’Oreal SA to Shiseido, struggle with disappointing sales in China as increasingly frugal shoppers turn to cheaper local upstarts.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
In the chaos of a raging fire, the veteran defies the chief’s orders to withdraw, determined to save an occupant.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
Screening in 70mm at the Aero Theater on December 27, Kubrick’s dark journey through the cosmos is a visual feast that defies description and the perfect film to cap off a year that truly showed us the horrors technology can bring forth.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
The term, of course, defies a hard definition, which is part of the allure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
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No one dares to make them any more.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2024
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Pay attention to what that actually means for the wealthy or working-class people or whoever else dares to oppose them.Luka Ladan, Sun Sentinel, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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So much is being disclosed that the borrower or tenant ignores everything.Joshua Stein, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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The second view—people can just move to cheaper cities, because the prosperous city is full up—also ignores basic economics.Richard McGahey, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Johnson faces the task of implementing this single-package strategy with a slim Republican majority.Adeola Adeosun, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
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However, the report also reveals that the state faces certain challenges, including a high suicide rate among seniors and a shortage of home health care workers.Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Miller wrote that if the Palm Beach County state attorney allowed someone who opposes the death penalty to handle a death penalty case, he’d be removed by the governor.Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
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The Upper Basin wants credit toward new shortage criteria, while the Lower Basin opposes it.David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defies
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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