defy

/dɪˈfaɪ/

//dɪˈfaɪ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"defy" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“defy” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #16,683 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#16,683
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

defy vs dy
50% similar
defy vs dry
50% similar
defy vs del
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for defy
PropertyValue
Headworddefy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈfaɪ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#16,683
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “defy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). defy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for defy is 4 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈfaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #16,683 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for defy, with forms such as "ddefy", "deffy", and "defyy". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dy", "dry", "del", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith. The correct English form is defy, spelled D-E-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
  2. 2
    To refuse to obey.
  3. 3
    To not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations.
  4. 4
    To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.

Etymology

From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.

This word in other languages

desafiar(Español)défier(Français)herausfordern(Deutsch)desafiar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddefy,deffy,defyy,deyf,dfey,edfy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of defy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddefy1deffy1defyy1deyf2dfey2edfy2
Edit distance from "defy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "defy"?
"defy" is spelled D-E-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfaɪ/.
What does "defy" mean?
As a verb, "defy" means: To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
What words are commonly confused with "defy"?
"defy" is commonly confused with "dy", "dry", "del". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "defy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "defy" is /dɪˈfaɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "defy"?
From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “defy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈfaɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dy” - see the side-by-side comparison. defy vs dy
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list