Defy Definition

dĭ-fī

defied, defies, defying

verb

defied, defies, defying

To resist or oppose boldly or openly.

Webster's New World

To refuse to submit to or cooperate with.

Defied the court order by leaving the country.

American Heritage

To resist completely in a baffling way.

The puzzle defied solution.

Webster's New World

To be beyond the application or scope of; be contrary or resistant to.

An act that defies explanation; a problem that defies any conventional approach.

American Heritage

To dare (someone) to do or prove something.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

noun

A defiance or challenge.

Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Defy

Singular:

defy

Plural:

From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted 14c. from "be disloyal" to "challenge."

From Wiktionary
Middle English defien from Old French desfier from Vulgar Latin disfīdāre Latin dis- dis- Latin fīdus faithful bheidh- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition