1
as in disobeys
to go against the commands, prohibitions, or rules of
in those days a woman was brave if she defied fashion and wore white after Labor Day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in confronts
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
a rescue team willing to defy the raging storm
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in resists
to refuse to give in to
a bicyclist who regularly defies illness and infirmity in order to compete in races
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of defies
The present agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland directly defies the realization of these goals.
—
Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Its growth defies a slump that’s seeing foreign beauty giants, from L’Oreal SA to Shiseido, struggle with disappointing sales in China as increasingly frugal shoppers turn to cheaper local upstarts.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
In the chaos of a raging fire, the veteran defies the chief’s orders to withdraw, determined to save an occupant.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
Screening in 70mm at the Aero Theater on December 27, Kubrick’s dark journey through the cosmos is a visual feast that defies description and the perfect film to cap off a year that truly showed us the horrors technology can bring forth.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
The term, of course, defies a hard definition, which is part of the allure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024
Only Folie à Deux defies the rule, but it arguably was ignored enough and disappointing enough that a redemptive return could wind up eagerly embraced by the time two more years have passed without Batman in theaters (and four total years since The Batman).
—Mark Hughes, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
When a young boy from the protagonist’s neighborhood falls prey to a ruthless crime syndicate, 13 defies her mentor to save him — unleashing hell fury from all directions.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024
If a governor defies a court order, for example, to certify his or her state's election for a particular candidate, the act doesn't spell out what should happen next.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Its growth defies a slump that’s seeing foreign beauty giants, from L’Oreal SA to Shiseido, struggle with disappointing sales in China as increasingly frugal shoppers turn to cheaper local upstarts.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
In the chaos of a raging fire, the veteran defies the chief’s orders to withdraw, determined to save an occupant.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
Screening in 70mm at the Aero Theater on December 27, Kubrick’s dark journey through the cosmos is a visual feast that defies description and the perfect film to cap off a year that truly showed us the horrors technology can bring forth.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
The term, of course, defies a hard definition, which is part of the allure.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024
Only Folie à Deux defies the rule, but it arguably was ignored enough and disappointing enough that a redemptive return could wind up eagerly embraced by the time two more years have passed without Batman in theaters (and four total years since The Batman).
—Mark Hughes, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
When a young boy from the protagonist’s neighborhood falls prey to a ruthless crime syndicate, 13 defies her mentor to save him — unleashing hell fury from all directions.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024
If a governor defies a court order, for example, to certify his or her state's election for a particular candidate, the act doesn't spell out what should happen next.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defies
Verb
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Mima feels like a place where contradictions come alive — an exploration in contrasts that dares you to lose yourself in its layered aesthetic.WWD, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
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The questions that nobody else dares to answer, and CEOs have to confront them.Megan Poinski, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Tomás forbids it, but Paja, in the style of rebellious teens and younger siblings everywhere, ignores him.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2024
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If management ignores negative behavior, team members become frustrated and the work environment is destabilized, Price warns.Sally Percy, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Mangione faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with that killing.Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2024
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North American industry faces real challenges, and there’s no going back to ‘50s-style manufacturing.Chris Turlica, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The group leading the rebellion, however, is Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) whose leader Abu Muhammad Al Jolani is a former al Qaeda fighter with an Islamist ideology that opposes Israel.Mostafa Salem, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
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Ankara wants to control northern Syria and expel the Kurds, a solution that Moscow opposes, even though the Kurds are allies of the United States.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near defies
Cite this Entry
“Defies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defies. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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