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.

A spiritualist, newspaper publisher and political activist, Woodhull defied social convention in nearly every aspect of her eventful life.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the same time, Alphabet has defied the trend, with investors rewarding the company for both its AI advances and its strong core advertising and search businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal

He disputed allegations made the governor of Niger state, Umar Bago, in local media that the church had defied an order to close its school after threats of attacks.

From BBC

Moviegoers gave Comcast-owned Universal’s Wicked: For Good a big boost in its box office debut, bringing in record sales that defied expectations.

From Barron's

U.S. job growth defied expectations in September, according to a Labor Department report issued nearly seven weeks late due to the government shutdown.

From The Wall Street Journal