I defy you/anyone to do something Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity Expresses strong belief that the task is nearly impossible or evokes strong emotion. I defy you to find a happier couple than those two. Pro Tip 2/3Implicit Provocation When used, it provokes someone indirectly, urging them to prove the speaker wrong. I defy anyone to say this wasn't the best game of the season. Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Literal Often used hyperbolically to emphasize a point rather than to issue an actual challenge. I defy you to watch that scene without laughing.