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.

It may not be a shoo-in, either; Australia, expected to be a bit of a pushover, defied expectations to beat Turkey in an upset last weekend.

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026

Sayre defied his Mexican immigrant parents again by earning a master’s in public affairs from Princeton University instead of following his dad into railroad engineering, before earning a law degree from UC Berkeley.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

Only seven of 33 review platforms defied the overall pattern.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Born the fourth of five children in 1937 in Bradford, northern England, Hockney defied the conventions of post-war Britain, realising young that he was gay and wanted to be an artist.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

But Burger had defied death under the Nazi regime twice.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple