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
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
That is why willful disobedience of a court order is punishable as criminal contempt.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 8 Aug. 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
Cromwell described the cooperation and disobedience of a gaggle of ducks, sheep, border collies, horses and other farm animals (most of which were real despite one animatronic sheep and some puppets) behind the scenes of the heartwarming film.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disobedience
Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
That is why willful disobedience of a court order is punishable as criminal contempt.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 8 Aug. 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
Cromwell described the cooperation and disobedience of a gaggle of ducks, sheep, border collies, horses and other farm animals (most of which were real despite one animatronic sheep and some puppets) behind the scenes of the heartwarming film.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disobedience
Noun
-
Many standard policies carve out exceptions for disruptions due to war, undeclared war, civil disorder, rebellion, military activity or government intervention, experts said.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Storytelling will never not be a form of rebellion.—
Laura Dave,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Overnight, a show of defiance inside Venezuela from Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello Rondón, who posted a video to social media making his allegiances clear.—
Matt Nighswander,
NBC news,
7 Jan. 2026
-
During her own allocution moments later, Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, likewise struck a note of defiance and introduced herself as the First Lady of Venezuela, her face appearing bruised and bandaged.—
Cristian Farias,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The orphan’s predicament is as much a matter of willfulness as of survival—inseparable, as in the works of Charles Dickens, from a dream of being somehow rescued by the idea of an adult world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
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While this change reduces the explicit admission of willfulness, a narrative is still required.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
At times, Carol’s admirable rebelliousness seems to come at the cost of self-flagellating destruction, a badge of honor to be miserable.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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The performance goes from fiery to ineffectual as DiCaprio’s character, Bob, loses his youthful rebelliousness in a haze of pot and resignation.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disobedience. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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