desafiar

Senses

1. 1.

   to challenge

   to invite someone to compete or prove themselves

2. 2.

   to defy

   to resist or refuse to obey someone or something

3. 3.

   to dare

   to have the courage to do something difficult or risky

Examples

• "Ele me desafiou para uma partida de xadrez."

  He challenged me to a chess match.

• "A aluna desafiou as regras da escola ao usar roupas proibidas."

  The student defied the school rules by wearing forbidden clothes.

• "Esse problema de matemática desafia até os melhores alunos."

  This math problem challenges even the best students.

Usage

Common collocations include "desafiar alguém para algo" (challenge someone to something) and "desafiar as leis/regras" (defy the laws/rules). The verb is regular (-ar conjugation) and can take a direct object or be followed by "para" + noun/infinitive.