defy

Speech parts

1. defy - Noun

2. defy - Verb

Meaning

To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.

To provoke to combat or strife; to call out to combat; to challenge; to dare; to brave; to set at defiance; to treat with contempt; as, to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion.

A challenge.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

hold resist refuse withstand dare hold up stonewall face-off die hard front buck jib gauntlet face fight
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Antonyms

brad plaza moor hank lam weld
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Hypernyms

escape challenge resist withstand elude hold out

Hyponyms

weather brave endure beggar brazen brave out

Phrases with the word

defy convention defy danger defy someone defy gravity defy the consequences

Derivatives

defied defying

Examples

You must not fear death, my lads; defy him, and you drive him into the enemy's ranks. Napoleon Bonaparte

Grammar, perfectly understood, enables us not only to express our meaning fully and clearly, but so to express it as to enable us to defy the ingenuity of man to give to our words any other meaning than that which we ourselves intend them to express. William Cobbett

People who don't believe in government are likely to defy our government. Bill Moyers

The complexities of cause and effect defy analysis. Douglas Adams

Feed sparingly and defy the physician. American Proverb

Eat and drink measurely, and defy the mediciners. Traditional Proverb

Close letter words and terms

defuzzification defuzzifier defuzzify defy convention defy danger defy gravity