Synonyms

defied

American

[dih-fahyd] / dɪˈfaɪd /

adjective

challenged or resisted boldly or openly; rebelled against.

Both novels end with a degree of reconciliation and acceptance between the defied parent and the wayward child.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of defy.

Other Word Forms

undefied

adjective

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.

During his Southport spell, Carden was aware opposition clubs would try to exploit his 6ft height with high balls and extra physicality, but the Spaniard had traits that "defied" his height.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Sir Keir said he is "focused on the job" as PM, as he defied calls from his MPs to step down after poor election results.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

And it’s not the first time the Ducks have defied the odds this postseason.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

That shut down Iran’s network of shadow ships, which for years defied U.S. sanctions on Iran’s substantial oil exports by going dark at sea before clandestinely transferring their cargoes to China.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

A reminder of the way Styx Malone defied death.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023