as in ignoring
to go against the commands, prohibitions, or rules of
students who disobey their teachers and use cell phones in class drivers who consistently disobey traffic laws
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Recent Examples of disobeying
The country's Supreme Court of Justice removed him from office in 2017 and sentenced him to prison for disobeying a court order to remove barricades during protests against the government of then-President Nicolás Maduro.
—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Jan. 2026
The driver, identified as 50-year-old Dawn Dubois, was arrested and charged with operating under the Influence, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to drive in proper lane, according to state police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 29 Jan. 2026
But German General Dietrich von Choltitz is credited with disobeying Hitler’s command.
—Sally Susman, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
The fact that on this occasion senior officers chose a very light touch, preserving still-new representative institutions while not directly disobeying a direct presidential order, is extraordinary – and deserves far more comment and commendation than has been received.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The mayor and governor of Minnesota need to be investigated for causing chaos in the streets, disobeying federal laws and causing riots at the expense of a deceased person.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
The plaintiffs disagreed, accusing the department of disobeying Cobb’s prior order.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
In response, the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Pakota Valley, filed a new lawsuit against the policy and filed a motion alleging the city is disobeying court orders.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 6 Jan. 2026
He is also accused of disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Jan. 2026
The driver, identified as 50-year-old Dawn Dubois, was arrested and charged with operating under the Influence, disobeying the signal of an officer and failure to drive in proper lane, according to state police.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 29 Jan. 2026
But German General Dietrich von Choltitz is credited with disobeying Hitler’s command.
—Sally Susman, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
The fact that on this occasion senior officers chose a very light touch, preserving still-new representative institutions while not directly disobeying a direct presidential order, is extraordinary – and deserves far more comment and commendation than has been received.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
The mayor and governor of Minnesota need to be investigated for causing chaos in the streets, disobeying federal laws and causing riots at the expense of a deceased person.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
The plaintiffs disagreed, accusing the department of disobeying Cobb’s prior order.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
In response, the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Pakota Valley, filed a new lawsuit against the policy and filed a motion alleging the city is disobeying court orders.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 6 Jan. 2026
He is also accused of disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disobeying
Verb
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And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Parents react in different ways, from telling their potty-mouthed offspring to stop, to explaining why this is a bad habit, to ignoring the behavior, or even enforcing consequences as a punishment.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Private property owners may prohibit guns on their premises and direct anyone violating their rules to leave.—
Paul Kiefer,
jsonline.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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After being notified of the action, Musk’s company almost immediately countersued the conservative influencer, accusing her of violating the platform’s terms of service, which state any disputes with X must be brought in Texas.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Earlier this month, Yoon was sentenced to five years for defying attempts to detain him and for denying Cabinet members the chance to debate his martial law decree.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
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Over the course of his career, director Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a distinct style of absurdist, surrealist and genre-defying filmmaking with projects like The Lobster, Poor Things and Bugonia.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The White House had celebrated Lemon’s arrest with a mocking post on X on Friday.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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The president also shared clips of the video on his Truth Social handle, along with posts mocking and attacking Pretti.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The driver of the car, identified as 36-year-old Amber O'Neal, was taken to the hospital and then booked into the Jefferson County Jail on unrelated, outstanding warrants for third-degree assault, vehicular eluding, and resisting arrest.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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More effective diplomacy, as demonstrated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron at the same forum, conveys the same message about resisting bullying through measured language that preserves dignity and institutional respect.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disobeying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disobeying. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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