1
as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
a strong-willed pop star who is not known for her compliance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another
an administrator who demands prompt and unquestioning compliance from subordinates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law
compliance with the statute was far from universal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of compliance
Retirement-account structure changes the conversation because compliance, documentation, and custody all become part of the experience.
—
Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 May 2026
In Platte County, countywide candidates must file financial statements with both the Missouri Ethics Commission and the county clerk in compliance with a county ordinance first passed nearly 30 years ago.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
As compliance expectations continue to rise, technology is starting to play a bigger role in supporting fire watch operations.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
Steering is precise, body control is tight, and there’s an underlying athleticism that most midsize crossovers abandoned years ago in favor of numb compliance.
—New Atlas, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for compliance
Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 May 2026
In Platte County, countywide candidates must file financial statements with both the Missouri Ethics Commission and the county clerk in compliance with a county ordinance first passed nearly 30 years ago.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
As compliance expectations continue to rise, technology is starting to play a bigger role in supporting fire watch operations.
—Ascend Agency, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
Steering is precise, body control is tight, and there’s an underlying athleticism that most midsize crossovers abandoned years ago in favor of numb compliance.
—New Atlas, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for compliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compliance
Noun
-
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the prophet Abraham, a figure central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
-
Former officers described courts issuing release orders that intelligence officials ignored with impunity, prosecutors pursuing cases without evidence and security agencies using prolonged detention, torture and public accusations to impose political obedience.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The final submission—a six-line poem from Akil—was cryptic, nearly indecipherable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The submission fee is $15 per item; credit cards, checks and cash will be accepted.—
Melinda Moore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
In addiction medicine, this type of frequent patient contact would be invaluable for informational purposes as well as successful adherence to treatment plans.—
Steve D. Klein,
STAT,
14 May 2026
-
As one of the negative philosophies, pessimism, in its adherence to radical openness, is also marked by its anti-systematic nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Paired with the news of Mahomes’ restructure, the Chiefs have opened up a simple path to compliancy.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
18 Feb. 2026
-
While the legislation aims to address gaps in compliancy with federal transparency rules, the Wisconsin Hospital Association argues it's not needed as the state ranks high in transparency adherence.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
States were supposed to function as laboratories of democracy, not regional branches of a national political movement enforcing ideological conformity from the top down.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
-
In a culture that demands silence and conformity, her endurance becomes the loudest act of love, and his body becomes the only language left.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
That said, the final plat is in substantial conformance with the previous proposals, Latinovic said.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
How Compliance Reduces Procurement Friction When a vendor enters an EU enterprise RFP without structured conformance evidence, procurement teams must define evaluation criteria internally, align stakeholders on technical benchmarks and request supplemental documentation.—
Ran Ronen,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Writing in the early 1890s, Nadar deployed Balzac’s reported initial mistrust and later acquiescence to the daguerreotype as an allegory of larger significance for understanding the history of invention.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But as the sexist and racist nature of the MAGA machine has gained mainstream acquiescence if not acceptance, the need to keep up the appearance of diversity is less and less.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite these observations, Walter was not seen by a doctor until two days after his injuries occurred.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
The comparison to woodpeckers emerged naturally from these observations.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compliance. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
