defies

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.

Love Defies Space and Time An evening of live music and theater includes a stage adaptation of Miranda Spigener-Sapon's time-travel romance "Coffee with John."

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2018

Wandering the Rock Hall on Tuesday morning, I found the ironies nearly too acute to list: banners reading “Music Defies Barriers” were lashed to actual barricades.

From The New Yorker • Jul. 20, 2016

Above its image — a turbaned magician plunging knives into an encased female assistant — reads an unambiguous description: "Defies Death."

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2014

Farm Use of Antibiotics Defies Scrutiny The numbers released quietly by the federal government this year were alarming.

From New York Times • Sep. 3, 2012

"Patroclus! cease; this heaven-defended wall Defies thy lance; not fated yet to fall; Thy friend, thy greater far, it shall withstand, Troy shall not stoop even to Achilles' hand."

From The Iliad by Pope, Alexander