Brave
Brave verb - To oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage.
Usage example: a soldier who braved enemy fire to rescue her wounded comrade
Defy is a synonym for brave in action topic. In some cases you can use "Defy" instead a verb "Brave", when it comes to topics like challenge, face, dare, resist. popular alternative
Defy
Defy verb - To invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat.
Usage example: after missing the target, she defied her boyfriend to do better
Brave is a synonym for defy in resist topic. You can use "Brave" instead a verb "Defy", if it concerns topics such as action, challenge, dare. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- She gets lost and frustrated, and decides to stop looking... then Happy looks shocked and says that she must be brave, to defy Erza.
Source: This and That -
Character Development: Ben begins as selfish and somewhat cowardly, goes on to show that he has a good heart, and eventually becomes brave enough to angrily defy Gothon and give up his freedom for the sake of his friends.
- Only one mare is bold enough dares to defy the Evil Enchantress to save the prince, to brave the Dark Fortress of Ugn, and invicible enough to hope to come back alive: Raindrops of Clan Drops, Barbarian Queen!
Cite this Source
Defy and Brave. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/brave/defy
Brave & Defy. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/brave/defy>.
Defy or Brave. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/brave/defy.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "brave" and "defy" have occurred on timeline