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.
Their intelligence varies by breed and falls into three types: instinctive, adaptive, and working/obedience. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025 Conformity, obedience, uniformity Authoritarianism is defined by public opinion scholars as an individual’s predisposition toward conformity, obedience and uniformity and an aversion to diversity, difference and individual autonomy. Adam Eichen, The Conversation, 11 June 2025 That would be a more potent and immediate way to garner obedience from humans. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025 Foster self-confidence Building on Fogel’s advice to avoid teaching blind obedience, Dr. Lane emphasizes that fostering a child’s self-confidence and self-assurance is a crucial step in preventing abuse. Alex Vance, Parents, 6 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obedience. Accessed 9 Jul. 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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