defy
/dɪˈfaɪ/verb
defy is spelled D-E-F-Y: 4 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,687th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, defy means “To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in defy?
| Letters | 4: D-E-F-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.6 times per million words; the 16,687th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is defy?
Defy appears 2.6 times per million words in written English, the 16,687th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce defy?
- /dɪˈfaɪ/
Defy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-defy.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of defy
- defies present, singular, he/she/it
- defying participle, present
- defied participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does defy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion
- 2
To refuse to obey.
If you defy your teacher you may end up in detention.
- 3
To not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations.
- 4
obsoleteTo renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.
noun
- 1
obsoleteA challenge.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Defy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | herausfordern, die Stirn bieten, entgegentreten , trotzen, widersetzen |
| Portuguese | desafiar , desobedecer , renunciar |
| Spanish | desafiar , desafío |
| French | désobéir à , défier |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does defy come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).