English–German

“defy” in German

German

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtʁɔt͡sn̩/

Example

Jugendliche trotzen oft den Regeln.

Young people often defy the rules.

Illustration for trotzen (defy)

How to say “defy” in German

“Defy” in German is trotzen.

Someone stands firm against pressure, showing deliberate stubbornness rather than quietly enduring it.

Full entry for trotzen: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with trotzen

Die alten Bäume trotzen dem Wind.

The old trees withstand the wind.

Tips for using trotzen

  • The dative appears with both people and things, as in jemandem or einem Umstand trotzen.

“defy” in other languages