1
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another
the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in submissiveness
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others
the cowardly obedience with which the dictator's henchmen followed his every command
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law
expectations of strict obedience to the guidelines were soon dashed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obedience
The plan does not cover pre-existing conditions, training or obedience classes and more.
—
Ryley Amond, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
The dogs' puppy raisers are volunteers who will spend the next 16 or so months socializing the puppies, teaching the dogs basic obedience, and providing them with a healthy diet, so the canines are prepared for more specialized service dog training in the future.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
The Dark Hearts biker gang being targeted by Robbie has its own internal code, rigorously enforcing obedience but also offering members kinship, even a warped kind of mentorship.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Zimmerman showered Leader with love and took her to obedience classes, offered rewards like liver or chicken during positive training sessions, and made sure to socialize her by having as many different people as possible pet her.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Ryley Amond, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
The dogs' puppy raisers are volunteers who will spend the next 16 or so months socializing the puppies, teaching the dogs basic obedience, and providing them with a healthy diet, so the canines are prepared for more specialized service dog training in the future.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
The Dark Hearts biker gang being targeted by Robbie has its own internal code, rigorously enforcing obedience but also offering members kinship, even a warped kind of mentorship.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Zimmerman showered Leader with love and took her to obedience classes, offered rewards like liver or chicken during positive training sessions, and made sure to socialize her by having as many different people as possible pet her.
—Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
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For him, embracing this year’s Palme d’Or winner as France’s Oscar submission — giving Panahi a platform that had long been out of reach — felt like a natural next step for an ecosystem that has consistently embraced global auteurs.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Three states have announced their submissions of their Rural Health Transformation (RHT) plans to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) this week.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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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As early as March 4, 2020, the FBI opened an assessment of Hole for possible adherence to racially motivated violent extremism.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
21 Oct. 2025
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Police added that no evidence of postmortem fractures were found on the remains, adding that forensic investigators found soil adherence and staining that suggest the remains may have been in the ground for over five decades.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An Amazon spokesperson said that the warehouse was built in compliance with all building codes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Nov. 2025
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The agreement also lets Boeing choose its own compliance consultant rather than appointing an independent monitor.—
Jamie Stengle,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Any group decision comes with a degree of acquiescence and a leap of faith.—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Would-be autocrats create environments of fear and powerlessness, using intimidation, overwhelming force or political and legal attacks, and other coercive tactics to force acquiescence and chill democratic pushback.—
Shelley Inglis,
The Conversation,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Corporations were hiring social scientists to cultivate conformity in their workers.—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
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With Blonde, premiering this week in the Tokyo International Film Festival’s main competition, rising 38-year-old director Yuichiro Sakashita delivers a sharp, quietly damning satire of conformity in Japan’s education system.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Roskam said the most successful gun surrender laws also have strong follow-up.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
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Reuters reported in late March that Carvajal has been negotiating a possible surrender to the United States to, like Alcalá, potentially cooperate in any prosecution of the Maduro regime.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Unlike terrestrial weather, scientists who forecast celestial events like the aurora rely on observations of the 93-million-miles-away sun to make their predictions.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
11 Nov. 2025
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Not trying to spark controversy but this is an obvious observation.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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