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.

Still, demand from investors has generally defied the skeptics so far.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Throughout her career, Banerjee has defied political odds.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Despite the company's lack of a competitive AI offering, Apple shares have largely defied gravity over the past two years, and the stock is up about 15 percent this year.

From Barron's • 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

I did not believe in magic, in spells, in things that defied logic.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate