I defy you to make it public.
Source: tatoeba (39500)
Defy
/dɪˈfaɪ/
Synonyms for "defy" (248 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (50)
Strong matches (74)
Verb(18 words)
contravenedcontravenescontraveningdaredareddefieddeviatingdisobeydisobey safety rules lawlesslydisobeyeddisobeyingdisobeysdisregard artdisregardedeludedflauntsfloutedflouts
Noun(9 words)
daresdisplay of defiancedisregard for lawsdisregard of datadisrespectdisrespect trenddutch brekenflauntingflouting
Related words (124)
have the nervehold outhold upignoreinfringeknock the chockslay beforelevy war onmake bold tomake war onmeetmeet squarelymocknonplusnot conformnot heednot keepnot listennot mindnot observe
Show 56 more words
open hostilitiesoutdareoutfacepay no attention toperplexplace beforepresentpresent toput it torebelrebel yellrebuffrefuse to cooperaterepelrepulseresistrevoltridiculeriskruinsabotagescoff atscornscotchscoutscream defianceset at defianceset at naughtset beforeset naught byshow fightsnapspikespoilstandstand in the waystand upstand up tostare downstemstonewallstumpthwarttrampletrample ontrample underfoottrample upontransgresstrespassturnupsetventureviolatewar crywar whoopwithstand
Verb(25 words)
holdhold upignore guidelinesignore instructionsignore policyignore raceignore rules guidelinejaywalksoffendopposeoutbraveovercome difficultiesrebelrebelledrefuserenegadedresistedresistsrevoltedspited
Show 5 more words
Noun(19 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: resist, affront, affronting, affronts, attack.
- Sentence evidence is available for defy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "defy".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "defy"
Keep "defy" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "defy" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "defy", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "defy" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
9 entriesMore specific
6 entriesdisobey a directivedisobey a ruleexceed expectationsovercome obstaclesresist authoritywin against the odds
Collocations
6 entriesdefy authoritydefy descriptiondefy expectationsdefy gravitydefy logicdefy the odds
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entrieslend oneself
Translations
18 translations across 15 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- предизвиквам verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Central Kurdish
2 entries- بەربەرەکانێ کردن verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
- بەربەکانی کردن verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Czech
1 entries- vyzvat verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Dutch
2 entries- het hoofd bieden verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
- uitdagen verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Finnish
2 entries- haastaa verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
- uhmata verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
French
1 entries- défier verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
German
1 entries- herausfordern verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Italian
1 entries- sfidare verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Malagasy
1 entries- mandrangitra verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Māori
1 entries- whakatumatuma verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- utfordre verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Portuguese
1 entries- desafiar verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Romanian
1 entries- sfida verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Russian
1 entries- броса́ть вы́зов verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Spanish
1 entries- desafiar verb (to provoke to combat or strife)
Sample sentences
21 total sentences available.
I defy you to solve the problem.
Source: tatoeba (43769)
I defy you to solve this problem.
Source: tatoeba (56754)
Don't defy their orders, just limit yourself to obeying them.
Source: tatoeba (1148230)
Showing 4 of 21 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "defy"?
Closest matches include resist, affront, affronting, affronts, attack.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "defy"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.