Word
defy
Phoneticsde·fy, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈfaɪ/
UK/dɪfˈaɪ/
Definitions
01to disobey authority
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to refuse to obey a person, a rule, or a law, often in a brave or open way.
v. to challenge the power of someone or something; to refuse to obey a command or law openly.
“The young protesters chose to defy the government's ban on public meetings.”
“The local council decided to defy the national directive, arguing that the new environmental regulations were impossible to implement locally.”
02to resist a natural force
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to successfully resist something that usually limits people, like gravity or time.
v. to resist or appear to resist a natural law or a seemingly inevitable outcome.
“The gymnast seemed to defy gravity as she flipped through the air.”
“The athlete continues to defy the aging process, winning championships well into his late thirties while his peers have long since retired.”
Antonyms
03to renounce
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
v. to officially reject a promise or a connection with someone.
v. to renounce or dissolve all bonds of faith or obligation; to reject a formal connection.
“The knight chose to defy his former lord and join the rebellion.”
“In the final act of the play, the protagonist formally defies his lineage, choosing exile over a corrupt inheritance.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “defy” in context.
Verb
01. defy an order
“The soldier was court-martialed after he openly defied a direct order from his superior officer.”
verb + noun
02. defy description
“The beauty of the sunset over the canyon was so breathtaking that it truly defied description.”
verb + noun
03. defy gravity
“The acrobats performed a series of leaps that seemed to defy gravity.”
verb + noun
04. defy logic
“His decision to quit such a high-paying job without a backup plan defies logic.”
verb + noun
05. defy the odds
“The small startup managed to defy the odds and become a global market leader within two years.”
verb + noun
Adverb
06. openly defy
“Protesters gathered in the square to openly defy the new curfew regulations.”
adv + verb
07. successfully defy
“The fortress has successfully defied all attempts at capture for over three centuries.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. When used in the sense of 'defy explanation' or 'defy logic', it functions as a way to express that something is beyond human understanding.
Pitfall
They defied to the rules
They defied the rules
Defy is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'to' before its object.
Real-World Examples
“In 2024, for instance, local leaders in New Hampshire defied party leaders by holding a state-run primary ahead of the first party-led vote in South Carolina.” “It defied the publishers' predictions and became a huge hit.” Etymology
From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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