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
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obedience
Even if your furry friend has already mastered the obedience basics, try adding some new party tricks to their command repertoire.
—
Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Malik wants protection – Massoud wants obedience.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Bondi’s obedience to the President includes matters as insignificant as ending the department’s purchase of paper straws.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Rabbinic tales of the Golem asked what happens when obedience outstrips wisdom.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025
Malik wants protection – Massoud wants obedience.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Bondi’s obedience to the President includes matters as insignificant as ending the department’s purchase of paper straws.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Rabbinic tales of the Golem asked what happens when obedience outstrips wisdom.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
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While submissions for the festival come from all over the world, the festival experience itself is geared toward local Carolinians.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Oct. 2025
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Reader predictions Thank you for your submissions last week.—
Manny Navarro,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 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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Labor In a section of the report focused on workers’ rights and safety, the NCP reiterates its gripes about lack of supplier audit documentation and adherence to local law rather than international standards.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
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When Seedance and Seedream came out, his team conducted internal testing to compare their prompt adherence, image quality, speed, and cost to American competitors.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Consequently, every knowledge worker must adopt a risk management mindset, constantly assessing the potential blast radius of their prompts and acting as a steward of their company’s data, controls, and compliance obligations.—
Marco Argenti,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
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Because some agencies track students’ compliance with vaccine requirements — not actual vaccination status — the true vaccination rate could be lower than reported in those instances.—
Suhail Bhat,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yet, the lesson of the Voting Rights Act is that the response to these setbacks isn’t despair or acquiescence.—
Time,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this revenge is the acquiescence of his support base and the GOP representatives to the raw hatred unleashed by our Emir of Evil.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the studio, niche interests are exchanged for conformity and collective attention to breath and postures—at least on the surface.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
30 Sep. 2025
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However, Thalund and screenwriter Marianne Lentz imbue the set-up with a fresh 2025 perspective while attuning the material to a very particular Danish frequency in a society perpetually triangulating between child-centric educational approaches, permissiveness and conformity.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There was no immediate response from Israel, which is largely shut down for the Jewish Sabbath, and Hamas’ response fell short of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demands that the group surrender and disarm.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
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Russians went from being shocked by the Kremlin attacking a neighboring country, to despair that no amount of protest could end the war, to fear of escalating repressions against the critics of the war, and finally, to apathy and surrender.—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Clark argued that the diagnoses were largely based on statements from Germayne and Lisa Cunningham, rather than observations made by medical professionals personally.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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The critique, rooted in research and observations about generational values and preparedness, is now colliding with practical workplace realities, as managers and educators scramble to bridge gaps between Gen Z expectations and employer demands.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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