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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obedience
The trailer depicts the duo navigating Aunt Lydia’s elite preparatory school for future wives, where obedience is instilled into the young female students.
—
Arushi Jacob, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Mom taught me animal behavior, obedience training, coat and skin conditioning, muscle-development regimens, show logistics, ring dynamics.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
In terms of training, both Beineke and Hutchinson said that avalanche dogs typically start learning basic obedience skills as puppies before moving into more specific search and rescue techniques.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Fear Gets Results, Niceness Builds Loyalty Fear creates compliance and obedience.
—Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Arushi Jacob, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026
Mom taught me animal behavior, obedience training, coat and skin conditioning, muscle-development regimens, show logistics, ring dynamics.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
In terms of training, both Beineke and Hutchinson said that avalanche dogs typically start learning basic obedience skills as puppies before moving into more specific search and rescue techniques.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Fear Gets Results, Niceness Builds Loyalty Fear creates compliance and obedience.
—Kelly Ehlers, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
-
To ensure the fairness and credibility of our readers’ poll, any votes originating from the same IP address that exceed 20 submissions will be excluded from the final tally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings.—
Gary Trust,
Billboard,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
-
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
-
In recent testing, Forbes named the Happiest Baby Snoo Smart Sleeper as its top overall bassinet, citing its firm sleep surface and adherence to safe‑sleep guidelines, while also recommending the HALO BassiNest Soothing Swivel Sleeper as a leading bedside option.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This is basic adherence to the law.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office recently completed its second round of compliance checks at establishments that sell tobacco products.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Advertisers used coordinated pressure to demand compliance with brand safety norms.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is a story that traces the path to justice for mass atrocity in the face of public acquiescence.—
Sheila Coronel,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Kelley, Offerman, Fanning, and especially Pfeiffer do enough of the hard work to make acquiescence rather easy — and the ensuing journey a worthy reward.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Our future goal is to further test how gender conformity develops in more diverse geographic and cultural contexts, as well as among more gender-diverse children.—
Adam Stanaland,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The top Democrat in the House said his caucus is open to discussions about federal tax conformity, which Republicans say is a top priority to lower taxes.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Charlie, although more sympathetic, is left reeling, and Pattinson, always at his best when his matinée-idol looks surrender to warpings of fear and anxiety, conducts a virtuosic symphony of shifting moods.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And those who find Georgia’s gun laws too permissive say installing weapon detectors everywhere is a form of surrender, accepting that society will be awash in guns and violence.—
Jeff Amy,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
