Meaning & use
defy
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To refuse to obey a person, rule or authority, often openly.
Grammar: Takes an object: defy the order.
Patterns
- defy someone
- defy a rule
The students defied the ban and held a march.
He defied his parents and took the job abroad.
Protesters defied the curfew.
verbtransitive
To be so unusual that rules, logic or expectations fail to explain or limit it.
Grammar: Often has an abstract object such as explanation, description or logic.
Patterns
- defy explanation
- defy gravity
- defy expectations
The beauty of the canyon defies description.
The cat's leap seemed to defy gravity.
Their success defied all expectations.
verbtransitiveformalold-fashioned
To challenge someone to do something, showing you think they cannot.
Grammar: Pattern with an object and to: defy someone to do something.
Patterns
- defy someone to do something
I defy anyone to name a better pizza in town.
She defied him to prove her wrong.
The champion defied rivals to beat his record.
Word forms
| third person singular | defies |
|---|---|
| past tense | defied |
| past participle | defied |
| -ing form | defying |
Common combinations
- defy authority
- Teenagers sometimes defy authority.
- defy expectations
- The small team defied expectations.
- defy gravity
- The gymnast seemed to defy gravity.
- defy explanation
- The mystery defies explanation.
- defy orders
- The soldier refused to defy orders.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disobey
- Disobey simply means not to follow an order, while defy suggests open and bold resistance.
- flout
- Flout means to show disrespect for a rule, usually a law or custom, and defy is more about challenge.
- resist
- Resist can be quiet or passive, whereas defy is open and confrontational.
- confound
- Confound means to confuse or surprise, and is closer to the second sense of defy.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: defy or deny? defy or defile?
defy vs deny
Deny means to say something is not true or refuse to allow it, while defy means to resist or challenge.
defy vs defile
Defile means to make dirty or spoil something sacred, and is unrelated in meaning.
Practice
The soldier decided to ____ the order and refused to fire.
Choose one answer.
Defy means to refuse openly to obey. Deny means to say something is untrue, and define and defile have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “defy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.