defy
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to refuse to obey a person, a rule, or a law, often in a brave or open way.
to challenge the power of someone or something; to refuse to obey a command or law openly.
Simple“The young protesters chose to defy the government's ban on public meetings.”
In context“The local council decided to defy the national directive, arguing that the new environmental regulations were impossible to implement locally.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to successfully resist something that usually limits people, like gravity or time.
to resist or appear to resist a natural law or a seemingly inevitable outcome.
Simple“The gymnast seemed to defy gravity as she flipped through the air.”
In context“The athlete continues to defy the aging process, winning championships well into his late thirties while his peers have long since retired.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
to officially reject a promise or a connection with someone.
to renounce or dissolve all bonds of faith or obligation; to reject a formal connection.
Simple“The knight chose to defy his former lord and join the rebellion.”
In context“In the final act of the play, the protagonist formally defies his lineage, choosing exile over a corrupt inheritance.”
“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.”
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.