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
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
September 23 – October 22 Leadership doesn’t always look like strict command structures and demands for immediate obedience.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
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
September 23 – October 22 Leadership doesn’t always look like strict command structures and demands for immediate obedience.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
-
The eighth edition of the Joburg Film Festival wrapped Sunday, putting a bow on a busy week that saw organizers fielding a record 700 submissions from nearly 100 countries — a testament to their ongoing efforts to turn the growing event into the premier platform for cinema on the continent.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Then, the sound of our submission.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 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
-
The family’s swift removal and return raises questions about ICE’s actions and its agents adherence to policies, the family’s attorneys said in court filings.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Comments are moderated for adherence to our Community Guidelines.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
It was geared not for mere compliance with user requests but for sound judgment.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Last month, the company partnered with RegScale to integrate cybersecurity platforms that automate compliance monitoring across the US Department of Defense and other federal agencies.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And acquiescence can be contagious.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Even if clemency led the White House to dial back the ongoing efforts to punish Colorado, acquiescence today only invites future harassment.—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Even the Catholic Church has had it up to their scapulars with beauty conformity.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Happiness means pursuing intrinsic rather than extrinsic goals One of the biggest lies that Old Happy tells us, Harrison explains, is that the pursuit of extrinsic goals and external approval — popularity, conformity, financial success, aesthetic beauty — is the key to happiness.—
Nina Zipkin,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Trump also talks about Iran’s unconditional surrender without really detailing what those surrender terms might look like.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
What does that look like, unconditional surrender?—
Major Garrett,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
