as in rebellion
refusal to obey
they gave up on training the dog to fetch because of his constant disobedience
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Recent Examples of disobedience
In the end, her disobedience—forged in tandem with and in opposition to her tribe—felt unmoored without a fellow-Mitford’s pigtail to pull.
—
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Moja Rowa Colorful disobedience is how Moja Rowa cofounders Yelena Mojarova and Edward Benedikt Sittler characterize their creative spirit and brand ethos.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Many individuals remain out of necessity, not due to willful disobedience , but because of sudden changes in personal or political circumstances—including armed conflict, economic collapse, or family emergencies.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disobedience
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Moja Rowa Colorful disobedience is how Moja Rowa cofounders Yelena Mojarova and Edward Benedikt Sittler characterize their creative spirit and brand ethos.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Many individuals remain out of necessity, not due to willful disobedience , but because of sudden changes in personal or political circumstances—including armed conflict, economic collapse, or family emergencies.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disobedience
Noun
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Resistance, rebellion and retribution all come out to play in one of Disney+’s most consistent series that’s unafraid to put its larger-than-life characters into the maw of Venus fly trap-like set of moral and ethical issues.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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In the era of AI, the notion of learning something for yourself is a quiet, internal act of rebellion against a world that seems to be flowing in the wrong direction.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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So far, Tehran appears to be in no hurry, projecting defiance in the face of what would be a significant escalation and a devastating blow to the country.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
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Lola’s father, for example, also had a history of defiance against the government alongside Cora (who Torres plays with paternal patience, as a man who’s seen the decades come and go on the island).—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Though the Durutti Column had been a disaster, Wilson was fascinated by the guitarist, who admired punk’s willfulness even though his own musical taste tended toward jazz, blues, and the classical tradition.—
Brad Shoup,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The pseudo-goth hair and costume choices speak to an inner rebelliousness that isn’t so much unleashed as forced loose by a system that values the appearance of a mythical impartiality over her humanity, leaving her with little recourse but to step outside the confines of the law.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
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The natural obstinacy and rebelliousness of Israa’s teenage years are hyperaccelerated by culture clashes with both her family and the other kids around her.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disobedience. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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