disobey

verb

dis·​obey ˌdis-ə-ˈbā How to pronounce disobey (audio)
-ō-
disobeyed; disobeying; disobeys
Synonyms of disobeynext

transitive verb

: to fail to obey
disobeyer noun

Examples of disobey in a Sentence

If you disobey, you will be severely punished. The soldier disobeyed the general's orders. He was afraid to disobey his father. The driver had disobeyed the law.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But when Torre walked off the mound, first baseman Tino Martinez looked at Weathers and told him to disobey his manager. Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026 The mayor and governor of Minnesota need to be investigated for causing chaos in the streets, disobeying federal laws and causing riots at the expense of a deceased person. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026 The plaintiffs disagreed, accusing the department of disobeying Cobb’s prior order. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026 Hours after the shooting, Noem defended the ICE officer who shot Good, saying the woman had blocked federal officers with her SUV and disobeyed orders to get out of her vehicle. Juliana Kim, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disobey

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French desobeir, from des- dis- + obeir to obey

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of disobey was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disobey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disobey. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

disobey

verb
dis·​obey ˌdis-ə-ˈbā How to pronounce disobey (audio)
: to refuse, neglect, or fail to obey

More from Merriam-Webster on disobey

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