de
fy
Third Person
defies
Present Participle
defying
Past Tense
defied
Past Participle
defied
1
to refuse to respect a person of authority or to observe a law, rule, etc.
transitive
- The rebellious teenager decided to defy the instructions given by their parents.
- Citizens may choose to defy unjust laws as a form of protest against the government.
- The outspoken employee was willing to defy company policies in order to advocate for change.
- Some activists defy social norms to challenge and reshape cultural expectations.
- The activists are defying the government's attempt to suppress freedom of speech.
2
to make something extremely difficult or nearly impossible to achieve, understand, or accomplish
transitive
- The sheer size of the mountain defies any attempt to climb it without proper equipment.
- The artist's technique defied expectations, creating a work that was hard to categorize.
- His strength and agility defy what most people would consider human limits.
- The delicate balance of the ecosystem defies any simple explanation.
- The company's financial problems defy easy solutions, requiring complex restructuring.
Antonyms:
3
to dare someone to do or prove something
- She defied her opponents to beat her, confident in her skills.
- They defied anyone to challenge their innovative design.
- He defied his friends to finish the marathon in under three hours.
- The team defied their rivals to beat their unbeaten record.
- She defied the skeptics to prove her idea could work.
Synonyms: