defied

[ dih-fahyd ]

adjective

1. challenged or resisted boldly or openly; rebelled against:

   Both novels end with a degree of reconciliation and acceptance between the defied parent and the wayward child.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of defy.

Other Words From

• un·de·fied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defied¹

First recorded in 1810–20; defy ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective; defy ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb

Example Sentences

It wasn’t until 1989 that a woman wore pants on the Senate floor, after a fed-up lawmaker defied the Capitol dress code on a cold day in Sacramento.

From Los Angeles Times

But like nature, “Noon to Midnight” defied categorization.

From Los Angeles Times

From 2017-2021, when Democrats controlled at least one chamber of Congress, Trump and members of his administration regularly defied congressional subpoenas.

From Salon

A woman who defied the odds by walking again after a car accident is urging others to wear their seat belt.

From BBC

The myriad accomplishments by Black Americans in the face of the oppressive conditions of slavery and racial hierarchy openly defied stereotypes of their inferiority.

From Salon

Related Words

• confront
• disregard
• elude
• flout
• ignore
• mock
• oppose
• provoke
• resist
• ridicule
• spurn
• thwart
• violate
• withstand