defy
verb (used with object)
to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly.
defies
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.
Zoe Kazan’s Cathy, which closely hews to Steinbeck’s original vision, defies easy assumptions about a woman’s wants and needs.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
In Sophocles, Antigone, Oedipus’ headstrong daughter, defies the edict issued by her uncle Creon, the newly deputized king, declaring that her slain brother Polynices is an enemy of the state and therefore ineligible for burial.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Bouaddi controls matches in a manner which defies his tender age, impressing in Morocco's opening draw with Brazil where he outshone Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
By the album closer, “I’m a Goin’ Nowhere,” he’s set us up to assume there will be a spot of darkness amid any love light, but he defies expectations one more time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
I read somewhere, once, that crying defies scientific explanation.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
