resist vs defy

resist and defy both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
resist	No	No	Yes	No
defy	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, defy is a hyponym of resist; that is, defy is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than resist:

Other hyponyms of resist include stand out, stand up, outbrave, hold off, remain firm, stand, hold, hold up, withstand.

As verbs, resist and defy are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of resist include refuse.

resist (verb)	defy (verb)
stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something	challenge
withstand the force of something	resist or confront with resistance
refuse to comply	elude, especially in a baffling way
express opposition through action or words
elude, especially in a baffling way
resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ