defy meaning
defy :
to resist, to refuse to obey
Verb
▪ She decided to defy the rules.
▪ She chose to resist the rules.
▪ The student defied the teacher's instructions.
▪ The student resisted the teacher's instructions.
paraphrasing
▪ resist – to refuse to accept or comply with
▪ challenge – to invite someone to engage in a contest
▪ confront – to face someone boldly
▪ oppose – to act against something
Pronunciation
defy [dɪˈfaɪ]
The stress is on the second syllable 'fy' and sounds like 'di-fy'.
Common phrases and grammar about defy
defy - Common meaning
Verb
to resist, to refuse to obey
Part of Speech Changes for "defy"
▪ defiance (noun) – open resistance or bold disobedience
▪ defiant (adjective) – showing resistance or bold disobedience
▪ defiantly (adverb) – in a boldly resistant manner
▪ defier (noun) – someone who resists or challenges
Common Expressions with "defy"
▪ defy authority – to resist those in power
▪ defy expectations – to go against what was expected
▪ defy the odds – to overcome difficult circumstances
▪ defy logic – to seem unreasonable or irrational
Important examples of defy in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, defy is often used to describe resisting rules or expectations.
Example of a confusing word: comply (to follow)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
Defy is used as a verb to indicate an action of resistance in grammar questions.
defy
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
defy the odds
means 'to overcome difficult circumstances'
bend the rules
means 'to alter rules slightly'
Differences between similar words and defy
defy
,
resist
differences
defy is used to openly challenge or refuse to obey, while resist often implies a more passive or internal opposition.
defy
,
challenge
differences
defy means to openly challenge, while challenge can be to invite someone to engage in a contest or dispute.
Words with the same origin as defy
The origin of defy
defy comes from the Old French 'defier', which means 'to challenge'.
Word structure
The analysis of the word's composition is unclear.
Words with the same origin
The word's root is 'defi' meaning challenge. Words with the same root include 'defiance' and 'defiant'.
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