defied
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of defied
First recorded in 1810–20; defy ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective; defy ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb
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.
BATH, Maine — Election after election, Republican Sen. Susan Collins has defied national political winds to return to office, representing a state that has backed Democrats in every presidential contest since 1992.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
Even if Johnson had defied a federal statute, they argued, it was merely to allow the Supreme Court to decide its constitutionality.
From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026
North Korea has for decades defied some of the harshest sanctions in the world aimed at forcing its leaders to give up its nuclear and long-range missiles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
For so long now Djokovic has not only defied time, but appeared to be improving with it.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
But we know little about how it defied those odds—how it came to be.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
