as in rebellion
refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.
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Recent Examples of civil disobedience
Protests — even ones that include civil disobedience — should not be met with violence unless there is no other option available.
—
Dan Tully, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Sanabria Tarazona had taken part in a nationwide civil disobedience aimed at ousting Maduro called La Salida or The Exit.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
After all, states can and will punish civil disobedience.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 9 Mar. 2025
His fellow Jesuit, Dolores Mission pastor Brendan Busse, was there with activists during a June 9 migra raid at a factory in the Garment District that saw SEIU California president David Huerta arrested for civil disobedience.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Dan Tully, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025
Sanabria Tarazona had taken part in a nationwide civil disobedience aimed at ousting Maduro called La Salida or The Exit.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
After all, states can and will punish civil disobedience.
—Ryan Lucas, NPR, 9 Mar. 2025
His fellow Jesuit, Dolores Mission pastor Brendan Busse, was there with activists during a June 9 migra raid at a factory in the Garment District that saw SEIU California president David Huerta arrested for civil disobedience.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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Call it nostalgia or a rebellion against the clean functionality of minimalism, but romantic, decorative textiles are having a moment.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
13 Aug. 2025
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In a world that equates stress with productivity, peace becomes a form of rebellion—and power.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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North Korea, now a front-line participant in the war in Ukraine, continues to launch missiles in defiance of sanctions.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
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In a sign of the party's divide, Democrats have continued to push for a national redistricting panel that would remove partisanship from the process, even as some call for retaliation against Republicans in defiance of state limitations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While declarations have been made in the past regarding our city having a sanctuary status, there have been no clear directives toward local law enforcement regarding noncooperation with federal agencies such as ICE.—
Scott Wartman,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
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These movements used many different tools at their disposal — lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, work slowdowns, boycotts and other forms of noncooperation and resistance.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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