Synonyms of disobedience

disobedience

noun

ˌdis-ə-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s 

as in rebellion

refusal to obey

they gave up on training the dog to fetch because of his constant disobedience

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rebellion
• defiance
• willfulness
• rebelliousness
• disrespect
• insubordination
• contumacy
• waywardness
• recalcitrance
• unruliness
• contrariness
• rudeness
• intractability
• refractoriness
• frowardness
• noncooperation
• obstreperousness
• civil disobedience
• balkiness
• stubbornness
• insolence
• obstinacy
• perversity
• inconsiderateness
• impoliteness
• self-will
• inconsideration
• impudence
• obduracy
• peevishness
• pigheadedness
• tenacity
• pertinacity
• ungraciousness
• impertinence
• naughtiness
• doggedness
• mischievousness
• tenaciousness
• hardheadedness
• discourteousness
• knavery
• obdurateness
• mulishness
• obstinateness
• pertinaciousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obedience
• subordination
• compliance
• submission
• tractability
• subservience
• submissiveness
• amiability
• amenability
• subserviency
• agreeability
• slavishness
• tractableness
• subordinateness
• deference
• docility
• trainability
• dutifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disobedience

The Catholic Church teaches that all other people are conceived with original sin as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden. — Bridget Retzloff, The Conversation, 2 June 2026

There is zero tolerance for political disobedience. — Daniel Drake, The New York Review of Books, 16 May 2026

He was also booked on fresh charges of felony vandalism, battery against a former dating partner and willful disobedience of a court order. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026

On Wednesday, dissident artists Pussy Riot stormed the Russian pavilion while waving Ukrainian flags and calling for disobedience. — News Desk, Artforum, 6 May 2026

Phrases Containing disobedience

• civil disobedience