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.

See Examples For:

defied

Fery, who arrived at SW19 as the world number 114 and had never been beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, defied all expectations to reach the semi-finals.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Like he cannot believe this wonderful thing that has just happened even if he was the one who sweat and ran and defied physics to make it happen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Still, Netanyahu is an experienced campaigner with a record of comebacks that defied expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Almost 1.2 million undocumented migrants have sought legal status in Spain under a scheme that has defied a growing European crackdown on irregular immigration, according to final figures released on Thursday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

I defied my nerves and Hangman to say, “What's 'Spooks,' Ploot?”

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell