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to defy
01
to refuse to respect a person of authority or to observe a law, rule, etc.
Transitive: to defy a law or authority
Examples
The rebellious teenager decided to defy the instructions given by their parents.
Citizens may choose to defy unjust laws as a form of protest against the government.
02
to make something extremely difficult or nearly impossible to achieve, understand, or accomplish
Transitive: to defy sth
Examples
The sheer size of the mountain defies any attempt to climb it without proper equipment.
The artist 's technique defied expectations, creating a work that was hard to categorize.
03
to dare someone to do or prove something
Ditransitive: to defy sb to do sth
Examples
She defied her opponents to beat her, confident in her skills.
They defied anyone to challenge their innovative design.
Lexical Tree
defiance
defiant
defy
