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

Conflicts are won by street mobilization and civil disobedience, until conservative governments overreact and spark a backlash. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 13 June 2025

The depth, scope, and duration of the recent protests are new: the demonstrators fused their street protests with organized boycotts of pro-Erdogan businesses, online activism, and civil disobedience. —Henri J. Barkey, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2025

An act of civil disobedience includes sitting on a public road to block traffic. —Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2025

Peaceful protests erupted nationally, government workers launched a civil disobedience movement, and millions of students boycotted school. —Emily Fishbein, Hpan Ja Brang, The Dial, 17 Apr. 2025

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