1
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another
the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obedience
The festival commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God, with millions of livestock being sacrificed across Bangladesh during the celebration.
—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Chronicles of far-right obedience and moral decadence don’t get much more scathing than this.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
In dog sports like obedience or agility, handlers are in charge, but in barn hunt, the dog is the team captain, said Robin Nuttall, who started the barn hunt in 2012 to prove that her miniature pinscher, Zipper, could root out vermin as she had been bred to do.
—
Ross Mantle,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the prophet Abraham, a figure central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God.
—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Chronicles of far-right obedience and moral decadence don’t get much more scathing than this.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
In dog sports like obedience or agility, handlers are in charge, but in barn hunt, the dog is the team captain, said Robin Nuttall, who started the barn hunt in 2012 to prove that her miniature pinscher, Zipper, could root out vermin as she had been bred to do.
—
Ross Mantle,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the prophet Abraham, a figure central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God.
—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
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Three drugs in active clinical development could reshape how doctors approach androgenetic alopecia in both men and women, and the first regulatory submissions are already underway.
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Clascoterone is completing its safety dataset with regulatory submissions already in motion.
Noun
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Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.
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But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
Noun
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However, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding adherence to the MoU, with the Wall Street Journal reporting Thursday that Iran expects to reel in $40 billion per year as part of a mechanism to impose tolls.
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Disappearing Japandi slats and minimal, low-to-the-ground frames were the prevailing bedroom fixtures, with an almost prescriptive adherence to the same overall look—white percale sheets, Noguchi lanterns, and midcentury alarm clocks.
Noun
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Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
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And a final deal that lacks stringent verification procedures to monitor Iran’s compliance will not be worth the paper that it’s printed on.
Noun
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Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.
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Writing in the early 1890s, Nadar deployed Balzac’s reported initial mistrust and later acquiescence to the daguerreotype as an allegory of larger significance for understanding the history of invention.
Noun
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Davis didn't seek polished conformity but distinctive voices, then built an ecosystem of support.
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Vans noted that the campaign draws inspiration from zine-like punk graphics and the DIY spirit of the capsule, exuding non-conformity and challenging the status quo.
Noun
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To manage this, professionals should practice active surrender, focusing only on their own contribution in interactions.
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Crazy Horse was killed in 1877, and starvation brought about the surrender of others in 1881.
Noun
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Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.
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The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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