compliance

noun

kəm-ˈplī-ən(t)s How to pronounce compliance (audio)
Definition of compliancenext
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

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2
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another an administrator who demands prompt and unquestioning compliance from subordinates

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law compliance with the statute was far from universal

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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 The strongest safety systems minimize data, maximize accountability and earn trust by making privacy a core design principle—not a compliance afterthought. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026 On that project, Sperber says, a sizable amount went for bathroom upgrades — old theaters almost never have enough — and ADA compliance. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026 Impressive proofs-of-concept, however, fall short of the enterprise security, governance, and compliance requirements required for production deployment, which causes many AI projects to stagnate. — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Black is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief preventing the committee from compelling compliance with the subpoenas. — John Parkinson, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compliance
  1. obedience
  2. submission
  3. adherence
  4. compliancy
  5. conformity
  6. conformance
  7. acquiescence
  8. observation
Noun
  • Timidity dissolves into might, selfishness gives place to broad-reaching love, incompetence is replaced with obedience to God’s perfect direction.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Falwell championed a vision of America rooted in obedience to biblical authority and conformity with traditional values, placing him in tension with Enlightenment principles like individual rights, rational inquiry, and free thought.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of obedience
Noun
  • The association initially denied their application and developed its own form for future submissions.
    — Nicole R. Kurtz, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The awards, which have been running since 2022, received over 24,500 submissions from 40 different countries in 2026, 25 percent more than last year.
    — Will Richards, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of submission
Noun
  • Overall, the Bush administration’s misguided foray reinforced in the minds of many in the Middle East a distrust of America’s allegiances, commitments, and adherence to the protocols of the Geneva Conventions, a distrust that persists to this day.
    — David Friend, Vanity Fair, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Catering to the Volume, Not the Power User From a purely capitalistic standpoint, power users who demand high literacy, strict prompt adherence, and investigative rigor represent a tiny fraction of Google's user base.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of adherence
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
Definition of compliancy
Noun
  • That sense of propriety was partly imposed upon him by his father, who, in covering up John’s misdeed, placed an albatross around his son’s neck, demanding his conformity to a narrow sort of principle.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Anyone could guess going into this album that Erykah’s sticking points are groupthink, conformity, and phone obsession.
    — Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of conformity
Noun
  • Explain how the agent takes in tasks and context and how the output is measured against definable tolerances (targets, conformances and limits).
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • That said, the final plat is in substantial conformance with the previous proposals, Latinovic said.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 5 May 2026
Definition of conformance
Noun
  • But many assumptions that Stratos’ investors or Utah politicians might have had about Box Elder County – about either the acquiescence of its people or the barrenness of its landscape – have been proved wrong over the past few months.
    — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Oil has long funded the Gulf’s expensive social contract, in which governments provide citizens with cushy jobs and high-quality services in return for political acquiescence.
    — Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of acquiescence
Noun
  • Businesses and private properties are not required to follow flag directives but can join in the observation.
    — Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Half a century after Ericson’s initial observation, the driving force behind the flips once again became a mystery.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of observation

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complexness
compliance
compliances
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Cite this Entry

“Compliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compliance. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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