obedience

noun

obe·di·ence | \ ō-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s,

ə-\

Definition of obedience

1a : an act or instance of obeying

b : the quality or state of being obedient Children should learn obedience and respect for authority.

2 : a sphere of jurisdiction landowners within the king's obedience especially : an ecclesiastical or sometimes secular dominion under the obedience of the Bishop of Rome

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about obedience

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Examples of obedience in a Sentence

the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits the cowardly obedience with which the dictator's henchmen followed his every command

Recent Examples on the Web

Oak Brook police canine officer Andrew Franczak and his animal partner, Becks, will visit the library at 10 a.m. July 9 for a demonstration of Becks’ skills, including drug detection, basic obedience and bite training. — Chuck Fieldman, chicagotribune.com, "Oak Brook library to host canine-themed programs for Dog Days of Summer," 2 July 2018 Other rulers before him deployed oracles, omens and even impersonations of gods to awe their subjects into obedience. — James Romm, WSJ, "‘Soldier, Priest, and God’ Review: The Emperor Divine," 13 Dec. 2018 Those who favor traditional characteristics like respect for elders, obedience, and good manners flock to them. — Marc J. Hetherington, Vox, "How you think about raising children says a lot about your political views," 29 Nov. 2018 The finding, published in the September 21 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggests that the dog industry is in serious need of training and obedience classes. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Drugged puppies blamed for spreading diarrhea superbugs in multi-state outbreak," 21 Sep. 2018 The president is facing questions about his public embrace of Kim and the North Korean’s autocratic leadership style, including what Trump said was a joke about the obedience of the autocratic Kim’s advisers. — Washington Post, "Trump grumbles that North Korea deal not earning wide praise," 16 June 2018 As a result, areas exposed to the church for longer developed more impersonal norms, like individualism and impartial treatment, as opposed to obedience and nepotism. — Kevin Lewis, BostonGlobe.com, "Looking for negative signals," 6 July 2018 Too many dark moments in history prove that unqualified obedience has no place in a democracy or among Christians. — Jonathan L. Walton, Time, "Why Authoritarians Love to Quote This Bible Passage," 22 June 2018 That require analysis and strategic planning, as opposed to obedience to a norm. — Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, "Miss America Gets to Dress Herself," 9 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'obedience.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.