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

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 There is no link between them, and compliance documentation is assembled from scratch every time it’s requested. — Stefan Gogoll, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026 The next compliance deadline is in 2029 and for months now, city leaders have been debating the best path forward to ensure people who work in Park Ridge can live in Park Ridge. — Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 The data controller, meaning the company handling the information, has to be able to demonstrate compliance with every one of those principles. — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026 Children can be more vulnerable than healthy adults to waterborne illnesses, so compliance by schools is especially important. — Marlee Shaffer, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 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
  • Remaining steadfast in his dharma (religious and moral principles), Rama rejects all of Lakshmana’s suggestions for resistance and insists that obedience to his father and preservation of righteousness must take precedence over royal position.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • John Cena, one of the most famous WWE stars of his generation, displayed similar obedience in 2021.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of obedience
Noun
  • The festival screened 71 films from 38 countries, selected from 1,802 submissions from 72 countries, with Italy serving as Country of Honor.
    — Essie Assibu, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Its inventory depends on what sellers send in—making the timing of those submissions particularly relevant ahead of the holidays.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of submission
Noun
  • The exercise sessions were also demanding, and only 40% of participants met all the study’s criteria for adherence to the program.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Automated traceability then helped verify adherence to requirements.
    — Kumar Chivukula, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 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
  • Both filmmakers said getting the means to make a film often requires a certain conformity.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Furthermore, rigid or semi-rigid components create significant conformity challenges.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of conformity
Noun
  • This is to ensure conformance to an overarching body of human values, standards, cultural norms, expectations and usability considerations.
    — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of conformance
Noun
  • The greatest near-term threat to world order, then, is what might be called the Taiwanese chip crisis, in which Beijing mobilizes to take control of the island and the United States must choose between armed resistance and acquiescence.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There are similar issues in competitive races in Kansas, Iowa and Ohio, where Republican acquiescence could hurt the party on Election Day as their constituents face factory layoffs, farm foreclosures and higher prices.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of acquiescence
Noun
  • Northwestern University Researchers hope FLIP will lead to more discoveries of planets that have been hiding in existing observations.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Another rescue attempt As Swift’s fate was sealed, mission scientists slowly turned the telescope’s instruments back on to collect data and observations right up until the end.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of observation

Browse Nearby Words

complexness
compliance
compliances
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compliance. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wabi-sabi

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All