defy
gb/dɪfˈaɪ/ us/dɪfˈaɪ/
B2
Inglés
~ 7800
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Verbo
B2
action
1
openly refuse to obey
To show clearly that you will not follow a rule, law, or person in power.
Patrón de uso:
to defy [authority/rule/order]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse "defy" with "deny". "Defy" means to refuse to obey (defy the rules), while "deny" means to say something is not true (deny a claim). Another mistake is using "defy" with an infinitive, as in *"He defied to go"*. The normal pattern is "defy [someone/something]": "He defied his parents", not *"defied to his parents"*.
Sinónimos
disobey (More general and neutral; does not always suggest the bold, public aspect that defy often has.)
|
flout (Suggests open and often mocking disobedience of rules or laws.)
|
resist (Focuses on opposing something; may not always involve formal rules or orders.)
Antónimos
obey (Direct opposite: to do what a rule, law, or person in authority says.)
|
comply with (Stresses following a rule or request exactly as required, especially in formal situations.)
Colocaciones
defy authority
|defy the law
|defy a court order
|defy a ban
|defy the government
|openly defy
Temas
society
|law
|conflict
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The protesters defied the police order to leave the square.
- Several companies openly defied the new regulations.
- He defied the judge’s instructions and contacted the witness anyway.
- Students who defy school rules may be suspended.
- They defied the curfew and stayed out all night.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The workers defied the boss and did not leave.
- She defied her parents and married him.
- The city defied the new law and kept the old system.
- The players defied the coach’s order to stay quiet.
- Some people defy the rules because they think they are unfair.
Verbo
C1
state
2
be impossible to explain or describe
To be so strange or extreme that people cannot explain, describe, or believe it.
Patrón de uso:
[something] defies [explanation/description/belief]
Error frecuente:
Learners may try to say *"is very hard to explain"* instead of using this pattern. That is correct English, but "defies explanation" is a fixed and natural phrase for very strong cases. Also, do not say *"defies to explain"*; you say "defies explanation" (noun), not an infinitive.
Sinónimos
elude (Often used in the phrase "elude explanation"; slightly more formal and less emotional than "defy".)
|
escape (As in "escape description" or "escape explanation"; focuses on avoiding being caught or fully expressed.)
Antónimos
allow (As in "allow explanation"; suggests something can be easily explained or understood.)
|
invite (As in "invite explanation"; suggests something almost asks to be explained, the opposite of resisting explanation.)
Colocaciones
defy description
|defy explanation
|defy belief
|defy logic
|defy comprehension
|defy understanding
Temas
media
|emotions
|thinking
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The scale of the disaster defies description.
- His cruelty defies belief; no one can understand how he could act like that.
- What happened that night still defies explanation.
- The painting’s beauty defies words.
- The numbers are so complicated that they defy easy analysis.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The view from the mountain defies description.
- Her kindness after the accident defies belief.
- The change in the company defies simple explanation.
- The crime was so strange that it defies understanding.
- Their success story almost defies belief.
Verbo
C1
action
3
go against what is expected
To act very differently from what people expect or think is normal or correct.
Patrón de uso:
to defy [expectations/convention/the odds]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use "break" or "change" when the idea of going strongly against expectations would be better expressed by "defy". Also, avoid *"defy to the expectations"*; the natural phrase is "defy expectations" without a preposition.
Sinónimos
break with (As in "break with tradition"; focuses on separating from past practices.)
|
challenge (To question or oppose accepted ideas or expectations, but not always as bold as "defy".)
Antónimos
conform to (To follow or match what is usual or expected, the opposite of defying expectations or convention.)
|
fit in with (To be similar to others or to accepted patterns instead of standing out or resisting them.)
Colocaciones
defy expectations
|defy the odds
|defy convention
|defy tradition
|defy stereotypes
|defy social norms
Temas
society
|culture
|success
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Her career has consistently defied expectations.
- The small startup defied the odds and became a global brand.
- His style of dress deliberately defies convention.
- The film defies genre labels and mixes comedy with horror.
- Their decision to stay child-free defies traditional family expectations.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The team defied expectations and won the game.
- Her success defies the usual career path.
- This book defies the normal rules of stories.
- He defies tradition by staying home with the children.
- Their victory defied all the odds.
Verbo
C1
action
4
resist or withstand a force
To not be changed, damaged, or controlled by a strong force.
Patrón de uso:
to defy [force/gravity/death]
Error frecuente:
Learners may overuse this sense for normal resistance. Use it when the resistance seems surprising, extreme, or almost impossible, not for ordinary situations like *"The umbrella defies rain"* ("protects from rain" is better).
Sinónimos
withstand (Highlights surviving or not being harmed by something strong.)
|
resist (General term for pushing back against a force; may sound less dramatic than "defy".)
Antónimos
yield to (To give way to a force, the opposite of resisting it.)
|
succumb to (To be defeated or destroyed by a force such as illness, pressure, or attack.)
Colocaciones
defy gravity
|defy death
|defy the elements
|defy attack
|defy destruction
|defy time
Temas
science
|nature
|conflict
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The acrobats seemed to defy gravity as they flew through the air.
- A few old trees defied the storm and remained standing.
- These tiny flowers defy the harsh desert climate.
- The ancient fortress has defied attack for centuries.
- Her hairstyle somehow defies gravity and stays perfectly in place.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The plane looks like it defies gravity.
- These strong walls defy the wind and rain.
- Some plants defy the cold and grow in winter.
- His old car defies time and still runs well.
- The climbers defied death on the dangerous mountain.
Verbo
literary
C1
action
5
challenge someone to do the impossible
To strongly say that you think someone cannot do something and challenge them to try.
Patrón de uso:
to defy [someone] to [verb]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes put an object after the infinitive, as in *"I defy to you"*. The usual pattern is "I defy you to [verb]", where "you" comes directly after "defy".
Sinónimos
dare (More common and less formal; often used in everyday challenges.)
|
challenge (General word for inviting someone to prove themselves; may be less dramatic than "defy".)
Antónimos
concede (To admit something is true or that someone else can do something, instead of challenging them.)
|
accept (To agree with a claim or situation without questioning or challenging it.)
Colocaciones
I defy you to
|defy anyone to
|defy someone to prove
|defy someone to deny
|defy someone to find
|defy someone to explain
Temas
conflict
|speech
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- I defy you to find a better pizza in this city.
- She defied anyone to prove that her story was false.
- He defiantly told the audience, "I defy you to name a fairer system."
- I defy you to watch that movie without crying.
- The author defies readers to remain indifferent after finishing the book.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I defy you to finish this test in ten minutes.
- He defies anyone to say his work is not good.
- She defies you to find a cheaper hotel.
- The coach defied the team to win every game.
- I defy you to read this book in one day.
Verbo
archaic
C2
action
6
challenge to fight or conflict
In old or literary English, to show strong hostility and challenge someone to a fight.
Patrón de uso:
to defy [enemy/opponent]
Error frecuente:
This sense is rare and mostly appears in historical or fantasy texts. Learners may try to use it in modern speech, where "defy" is usually understood as "refuse to obey" rather than a direct challenge to fight.
Sinónimos
challenge (In older use, often meant to invite someone to a duel or fight.)
|
dare (Can express a bold invitation to conflict, especially in literary contexts.)
Antónimos
submit to (To accept another’s power instead of opposing or challenging it.)
|
yield to (To give way to another’s will, the opposite of issuing a bold challenge.)
Colocaciones
defy his enemies
|defy his foes
|defy his rival
|publicly defy
|boldly defy
|defy the king
Temas
history
|conflict
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- He swore to defy his enemies until his last breath.
- The rebel lords openly defied their king.
- In the tale, the knight defies the dragon that terrorizes the land.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- In the old story, the hero defies the king.
- The soldier defies his enemy in the battle.
- The knight defies the dragon in the legend.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
defy
AFI
GB/dɪfˈaɪ/
US/dɪfˈaɪ/
Sílabas y acento
defy (1 sílaba)
Formas de la palabra
Verb
- Base: defy
- 3rd Person Singular: defies
- Present Participle: defying
- Past: defied
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
defy belief
1/dɪfˈaɪ bɪlˈif/
idiom
be impossible to believe
To be so surprising, shocking, or extreme that people find it very hard to believe.
Ejemplos
- The cruelty shown in the video defies belief.
- Her recovery after such a serious accident defies belief.
defy categorization
1/dɪfˈaɪ kˌætəɡɚɪzˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
be impossible to classify
To be so mixed or unusual that you cannot put it into a single clear group or type.
Ejemplos
- The show defies categorization; it is part drama, part comedy, and part documentary.
- His music defies categorization and blends many styles.
defy convention
1/dɪfˈaɪ kənvˈɛnʃən/
fixed phrase
go against usual conventions
To do things in a way that is very different from normal social rules or usual styles.
Ejemplos
- The architect’s new building defies convention with its unusual shape.
- Her writing style defies convention but has many fans.
defy description
1/dɪfˈaɪ dɪskɹˈɪpʃən/
idiom
be impossible to describe
To be so extreme or unusual that words cannot describe it well.
Ejemplos
- The beauty of the sunset defies description.
- The damage after the earthquake simply defied description.
defy expectations
1/dɪfˈaɪ ˌɛkspɛktˈeɪʃənz/
fixed phrase
act differently from expectations
To do much better, worse, or just very differently from what people thought would happen.
Ejemplos
- The film defied expectations and became a huge hit.
- Her performance defied expectations for a beginner.
defy explanation
1/dɪfˈaɪ ˌɛksplənˈeɪʃən/
idiom
be impossible to explain
To be so strange or unclear that no one can explain it properly.
Ejemplos
- The sudden change in his behavior defies explanation.
- Some ancient structures still defy explanation even with modern science.
defy imagination
1/dɪfˈaɪ ɪmˌæd͡ʒɪnˈeɪʃən/
idiom
be beyond imagination
To be so big, terrible, good, or extreme that people cannot even imagine it clearly.
Ejemplos
- The suffering in the war zone defies imagination.
- The scale of the project defies imagination.
defy logic
1/dɪfˈaɪ lˈɑd͡ʒɪk/
idiom
be impossible to understand logically
To be impossible to understand using normal clear thinking or rules of reason.
Ejemplos
- Their decision to cut staff during a busy season defies logic.
- The way the system works sometimes seems to defy logic.
defy the odds
1/dɪfˈaɪ ðə ˈɑdz/
idiom
succeed when success seems unlikely
To succeed even though it seems almost impossible and most people expect failure.
Ejemplos
- The small local team defied the odds and won the national championship.
- Doctors said he might never walk again, but he defied the odds and ran a marathon.
I defy you to
1/ˈaɪ dɪfˈaɪ jˈu tə/
fixed phrase
literary
challenge someone to do something
A strong way to say that you think someone cannot do something and you challenge them to try.
Ejemplos
- I defy you to find a better restaurant in this town.
- I defy you to read this book and not laugh.
defy gravity
1/dɪfˈaɪ ɡɹˈævɪti/
idiom
seem not affected by gravity
To move or stay in a way that looks like the force of gravity does not affect you, often used for surprising movements or designs.
Ejemplos
- The dancer’s leap seemed to defy gravity.
- Those skyscrapers look like they defy gravity.
defy gravity
2/dɪfˈaɪ ɡɹˈævɪti/
idiom
do something that seems impossible
To do something that seems impossible or very surprising, as if the normal rules of the world do not apply.
Ejemplos
- The dancer seemed to defy gravity with her long, floating jumps.
- Their tiny startup defied gravity and became a global company in just two years.