obedience

noun

obe·​di·​ence ō-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s How to pronounce obedience (audio)
ə-
1
a
: 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

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
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.
The three-day holiday of Eid-al-Adha commemorates the story in the Quran of God appearing to Ibrahim, or Abraham, in a dream and commanding him to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience. Monica Haider, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 Then, at around 10 to 12 weeks, after getting their vaccinations, your pup can enter obedience classes outside the home. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 Cardinals pay homage — Six cardinals kiss the pope’s ring in a gesture of obedience. Nbc News, NBC news, 18 May 2025 Emerging from the Chicago suburbs, Francis — born Neal Francis O’Hara — was raised in an Irish-Catholic family that revolved around church, hard work, and obedience. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for obedience

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin oboedientia "act of obeying" (Medieval Latin also, "sphere of jurisdiction"), noun derivative of oboedient-, oboedient obedient

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of obedience was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obedience. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

obedience

noun
obe·​di·​ence ō-ˈbēd-ē-ən(t)s How to pronounce obedience (audio)
ə-
1
: an act or instance of obeying
2
: the quality or state of being obedient

More from Merriam-Webster on obedience

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