civil disobedience

noun

: refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government

Examples of civil disobedience in a Sentence

In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization.

A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1952 he was convicted for his role in a civil disobedience campaign and received a nine-month sentence of hard labor (suspended for two years). — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 June 2026

Because civil disobedience and peaceful protest are relatively inexpensive and not as risky as violent resistance. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026

Since then, photos and videos from the act of civil disobedience have spread widely across social media — amplified by others who share a similar frustration and unease about the country's military action. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026

Generations of Americans spent the first half of the twentieth century sitting at their kitchen tables, performing a small act of civil disobedience every week to save thirty cents on butter. — Christian Catalini, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for civil disobedience

• expedience
• obedience

Legal Definition

civil disobedience

noun

civil dis·​obe·​di·​ence

: refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government