Anagram Solver

Definitions for Defy

[1] to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly: to defy parental authority.
[2] to offer effective resistance to: a fort that defies attack.
[3] to challenge (a person) to do something deemed impossible: They defied him to dive off the bridge.
[4] Archaic . to challenge to a combat or contest.
[5] a challenge; a defiance.
[6] to resist (a powerful person, authority, etc) openly and boldly
[7] to elude, esp in a baffling way his actions defy explanation
[8] formal to challenge or provoke (someone to do something judged to be impossible); dare I defy you to climb that cliff
[9] archaic to invite to do battle or combat

Words related to Defy

resist, spurn, thwart, violate, withstand, confront, ridicule, elude, flout, ignore, oppose, disregard, provoke, mock, repulse, despise, brave, insult, slight, face

Words nearby Defy

defunctive, defund, defuse, defusion, defuze, defy, deg, deg., degame, deganawidah, degas

Origin of Defy

1250–1300; Middle English defien < Old French desfier, equivalent to des- dis-1 + fier to trust < Vulgar Latin *fīdāre, variant of Latin fīdere

Other words from Defy

de·fi·a·ble , adjective
de·fy·ing·ly , adverb
pre·de·fy , verb (used with object), pre·de·fied, pre·de·fy·ing.
re·de·fy , verb (used with object), re·de·fied, re·de·fy·ing.
un·de·fi·a·ble , adjective
un·de·fi·a·bly , adverb
un·de·fied , adjective

Word origin for Defy

C14: from Old French desfier, from des- de- + fier to trust, from Latin fīdere

Synonyms for Defy

confront, disregard, elude, flout, ignore, mock, oppose, provoke, resist, ridicule, spurn, thwart, violate, withstand, baffle, beard, brave, contemn, dare, defeat, deride, despise, face, foil, front, gibe, insult, repel, repulse, scorn, slight, stick, venture, fly in face of, hang tough, hurl defiance at, make my day, outdare, stick fast, take one on