Vocabulary in context
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Defy
To openly challenge or refuse to obey; to resist, confront, or dare against someone or something.
verb๐ก
Imagine This
A crazy fly is challenging Mother Nature by demonstrating that gravity has no effect on him. Thus it takes off without using its wings. Other flies nearby are exclaiming, 'How daring that the fly is defying Mother Nature!'
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Sounds Like
dih-FY
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Looks Like
Looks like the word 'defy' itself; four letters with the familiar 'fy' ending.
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Remember This
Defy is often paired with rules, expectations, gravity, or authority. The related noun is defiance.
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Other Forms
defiesverb
defiedverb
defyingverb
defiernoun
defiancenoun
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Connect With
Defiance, resistance, challenge, disobey, defy the odds
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Note
Defy means to resist or refuse to obey; do not confuse with 'deny' (to say something is untrue) or 'defect' (to abandon a cause). It takes an object (defy the odds, defy authority).
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The athlete defied the skeptics and finished the race.
- The students decided to defy the school's dress code by wearing colorful outfits.
Synonyms
resistopposedisobeychallengeflout
Antonyms
obeyconformcomply
Etymology
From Old French defier, from Latin diffidฤre (to distrust), with the sense of challenging or daring.
Mnemonic
DEFY: Dare Every Facet, You resist
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Baleful
adjectiveDestructive; harmful; threatening or showing the intention to cause harm.
Blight
nounA disease or anything that causes decay, ruin, or injury; especially a plant disease that damages crops.
Remedy
nounA medicine or treatment that cures or alleviates a disease; or a means of solving or correcting a problem. As a verb, to remedy means to fix or rectify something.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
Absolve
verbTo free someone from blame or responsibility; to pardon or exonerate.
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