Definition of OBEDIENT

Examples of obedient in a Sentence

that boy is so obedient that he does everything the first time he is asked

Recent Examples of obedient from the Web

Factor in its beefier brakes, its standard helical limited-slip differential, and its overall resistance to pitch, dive, and lean, and the Civic Si can really be driven hard yet remains eminently obedient.

— steve siler, Car and Driver, "2017 Honda Civic Si", 29 May 2017
A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

— barbara bresnahan, Courant Community, "Moms, Sons Make Memories At Dance", 26 May 2017
Puccini’s opera indulges in an uncomfortable racial stereotype: the obedient, long-suffering Japanese geisha.

— anthony tommasini, New York Times, "‘Butterfly’ and ‘Carmen,’ in Bold and Vivid Cuts", 23 May 2017
Barnett's list included prairie smoke, coneflower, compass plant, obedient plant and butterflyweed — native prairie plants that bloom at different times — as well as native shrubs including filbert, which produces fruits for wildlife in fall.

— sheryl devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Earnest gardeners ward off rain at Conserve Lake County native plant sale", 22 May 2017
Whereas parents of obedient children enjoy advantages and conveniences not enjoyed by parents of disobedient children, the benefits of obedience accrue primarily to the child.

— john rosemond, charlotteobserver, "John Rosemond: ’60s utopianism struck deep into the heart of American parenting", 26 Apr. 2017
The horses were in festive finery and obedient to every subtle command from perfect-posture riders whose stiff-brimmed Cordobés hats complemented their high-waisted paseo trousers, short jackets — chaquetillas camperas — and tall leather boots.

— nick madigan, New York Times, "In Southern Spain, a Pilgrimage (and a Party Too)", 11 Apr. 2017
But some fan bases are more obedient than others—which means viewers who aren’t caught up have to be vigilant, especially when a wave of live-tweeting is afoot.

— laura bradley, HWD, "There’s a New Way to Protect Yourself from Spoilers on Twitter", 28 Mar. 2017
Such ideas seemed to make Judaism the engine of a radical reëvaluation of the entire human relationship to God, one that established a new role for humanity, beyond that of the obedient servant.

— george prochnik, The New Yorker, "A Guide to Religious Anarchy: Gershom Scholem’s Kabbalah", 14 Mar. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of obedient

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin oboedient-, oboediens, from present participle of oboedire to obey

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First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

obedient Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of obedient

obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another. obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority. obedient to the government docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance. a docile child tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing. tractable animals amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness. amenable to new ideas

obedient