WordValedefy
to openly resist or refuse to obey
In more detail
1. (verb) to refuse to obey or respect someone or something; to challenge someone to do something difficult or impossible
2. (verb) to seem impossible to do or explain
Examples
- 1. The teenager defied her parents' orders and stayed out late.
- 2. The beautiful landscape defies description.
How to use defy
Defy has two distinct uses: the primary sense means to openly resist or refuse to obey authority, rules, or expectations (often with a confrontational tone); the secondary sense means to seem to resist explanation or logic ('that defies belief'). It carries stronger connotations of bold rebellion than simple disobedience.
Common phrases
- defy gravity
- defy logic
- defy expectations
- defy orders
- defy convention
Synonyms
resist · disobey · challenge · flout · resist
Opposites
obey · comply · surrender
Word family
defiance (noun) · defiant (adjective) · defiantly (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use defy where disobey would be more appropriate; defy suggests active challenge or seeming impossibility, while disobey simply means not following orders.
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