as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
dogs bred for docility instead of aggressiveness
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Recent Examples of docility
Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.
—
Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.
—Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for docility
Noun
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As a child performing with his brothers at the family home in Gary, Indiana, young Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) is beaten by his father, Joe (Colman Domingo), who demands obedience along with musical discipline.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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As firefighter after firefighter testified about their actions during the Lachman fire, a clear theme emerged — the Los Angeles Fire Department’s culture of absolute obedience.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
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In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But as the sexist and racist nature of the MAGA machine has gained mainstream acquiescence if not acceptance, the need to keep up the appearance of diversity is less and less.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
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Moss’ dour expression, over-relied upon for silent exposition throughout six seasons, conveys terror in the here and now, as well as for a future where fear is replaced by acquiescence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Docility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/docility. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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