defy

verb
UK: /dɪˈfaɪ/
US: /dɪˈfaɪ/

  1. To refuse to obey a person, order, or law.

    1. They defy the rules.
    2. Many young people openly defy their parents' wishes regarding career choices.

  2. To resist or oppose something with strength or determination.

    1. I defy anyone to prove me wrong.
    2. The athlete continues to defy expectations by winning gold medals despite her age.

  3. To make something impossible or very difficult to do.

    1. The problem defies easy solutions.
    2. The beauty of the landscape seems to defy description in simple words.

Synonyms

resist confront challenge oppose disobey

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "defy" in English means: To refuse to obey a person, order, or law., To resist or oppose something with strength or determination., To make something impossible or very difficult to do..

The phonetic transcription of "defy" is /dɪˈfaɪ/ in British English and /dɪˈfaɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "defy": resist, confront, challenge, oppose, disobey.

Example usage of "defy": "They defy the rules.". More examples on the page.