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.
When the homicide rate was rising, it defied criminologists’ expectations, breaking away from the property crime decline of the 2010s.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Like he cannot believe this wonderful thing that has just happened even if he was the one who sweat and ran and defied physics to make it happen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Almost 1.2 million undocumented migrants have sought legal status in Spain under a scheme that has defied a growing European crackdown on irregular immigration, according to final figures released on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
The market has defied expectations for some time, but keeping up its breakneck gains would mean overcoming certain challenges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
All of this defied Durham’s reputation as a model for the New South, a public relations line Fuller heard often when he first arrived.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
