obedient

adjective

obe·​di·​ent ō-ˈbē-dē-ənt 

ə-

: submissive to the restraint or command of authority : willing to obey

an obedient child

an obedient dog

obedient to those whom he feared

—A. N. Wilson

obediently adverb

Synonyms

• amenable
• biddable
• compliant
• conformable
• docile
• law-abiding
• submissive
• tractable

Choose the Right Synonym for obedient

obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another.

obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority.

obedient to the government

docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance.

a docile child

tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing.

tractable animals

amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness.

amenable to new ideas

Examples of obedient in a Sentence

that boy is so obedient that he does everything the first time he is asked

Recent Examples on the Web

The tennis balls had been stashed away safely by the time 2,500 dogs and their obedient human entourages overtook the U.S.T.A. —Callie Holtermann, New York Times, 13 May 2024

Eventually members shaved their heads and had to be obedient to Dederich despite his brutality and manipulative behavior. —Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin oboedient-, oboediens, from present participle of oboedīre "to follow the commands of, submit to" — more at obey

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

obedient

adjective

obe·​di·​ent ō-ˈbēd-ē-ənt 

ə-

: willing to obey

obediently adverb