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.

While Nichola says Lou has "defied the odds" and attends a mainstream school, she suffers with mental processing difficulties, mood disorders and behavioural conditions.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

There has been frequent private speculation about the state of Biya's health, but openly discussing it is taboo and he has always defied rumours of his death by appearing in public after long absences.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Another tech name defied a broader artificial intelligence slump– Qnity Electronics.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Divorced and a single mother, Paul defied those norms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

I requested Octav. to bespeak an Apparatus from a Glazier but he would not & defied me.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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