Synonyms for defy
dɪˈfaɪ; ˈdi faɪde·fy

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(2.50 / 4 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defy

   Synonyms:
   scorn, challenge, provoke, despite, brave

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defy, withstand, hold, hold upverb

   resist or confront with resistance

   "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held"

   Synonyms:
   accommodate, book, stand up, retain, moderate, view as, support, apply, hold back, harbour, hold out, take hold, bind, hold up, arrest, dare, live, take, have, concord, survive, live on, check, make, take for, go for, stand firm, keep, defend, control, harbor, deem, throw, obligate, carry, give, adjudge, entertain, nurse, oblige, curb, hold, stick up, last, confine, hold water, have got, go, endure, restrain, declare, withstand, agree, hold in, delay, halt, contain, concur, maintain, guard, keep back, sustain, prevail, reserve, admit, obtain, refuse, resist, detain, bear

   Antonyms:
   lend oneself, apply

2. defy, resist, refuseverb

   elude, especially in a baffling way

   "This behavior defies explanation"

   Synonyms:
   pass up, baulk, reject, stand, deny, resist, hold up, hold out, fend, hold, balk, dissent, decline, jib, turn away, stand firm, withstand, refuse, protest, turn down, dare

   Antonyms:
   apply, lend oneself

3. defy, dareverb

   challenge

   "I dare you!"

   Synonyms:
   hold up, refuse, make bold, dare, presume, withstand, resist, hold

   Antonyms:
   lend oneself, apply

Matched Categories

1. • Challenge

Dictionary of English Synonymes(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. defyverb

   Synonyms:
   challenge, dare, bid defiance to, hurl defiance at

2. defyverb

   Synonyms:
   brave, disregard, slight, scorn, spurn, despise, contemn, treat with contempt, trample on, set at naught, snap the fingers at

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defyverb

   Synonyms:
   challenge, dare, spurn, flout, scorn

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "defy":

   challenge, defying, flout, defies, defiant

How to pronounce defy?

How to say defy in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use defy in a sentence?

1. Elissa Slotkin:

   I'm still hopeful, i think it just reflects the fact that gun safety issues, unfortunately, have become these really political conversations. I'm trying to defy that.

2. Charles Koch:

   We talk here about dollars and raising money and they are absolutely critical to getting this done, but they alone will not do the job. We know this from the successful movements in our country's history. It took the full commitment from the founding fathers, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the thousands of others who led successful movements. To defy the odds stacked against them, these leaders had to pledge their lives, fortunes and their sacred honor -- often at great personal sacrifice.

3. Chun Yung-woo:

   In the eyes of the Kims, Moon's administration gave too much of false hope that it would defy U.S. pressure to move their relations forward, but after two years, what they have left is a failed summit with Trump and no progress whatsoever on inter-Korean economic cooperation.

4. The IEA:

   Yet U.S. supply so far shows precious little sign of slowing down. Quite to the contrary, it continues to defy expectations.

5. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul:

   Our nation now has whole cities and states who stand up and willingly defy federal immigration laws in order to protect illegal immigrants who have broken our nation’s laws, this must end and it must end now.