Synonyms of obedience

obedience

noun

ō-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s 

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

• submission
• compliance
• conformity
• submissiveness
• surrender
• subordination
• discipline
• dutifulness
• acquiescence
• subservience
• restraint
• docility
• repression
• suppression
• humility
• meekness
• obeisance
• order
• deference
• tractability
• trainability
• subserviency
• capitulation
• servility
• yielding
• obsequiousness
• teachableness
• amenability
• control
• agreeability
• modesty
• inhibition
• abidance
• slavishness
• tractableness
• subordinateness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disobedience
• rebellion
• noncompliance
• defiance
• insubordination
• contumacy
• rebelliousness
• willfulness
• waywardness
• self-will
• recalcitrance
• refractoriness
• unruliness
• intractability
• noncooperation
• contrariness
• disrespect
• revolt
• insolence
• insurrection
• impudence
• recusancy
• rudeness
• mutiny
• outbreak
• insurgency
• rebelling
• stubbornness
• frowardness
• obstinacy
• perversity
• obstreperousness
• balkiness
• misbehavior
• insurgence
• pigheadedness
• dissent
• hardheadedness
• naughtiness
• mischievousness
• dissidence
• mulishness
• obstinateness
• mutinousness

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

• submissiveness
• acquiescence
• docility
• deference
• assent
• compliance
• compliancy
• biddability
• subservience
• acceptance
• humoring
• receptivity
• subserviency
• servility
• surrender
• conformity
• receptiveness
• complaisance
• consent
• obsequiousness
• slavishness
• amenability
• submission
• amiability
• friendliness
• cooperativeness
• capitulation
• indulgence
• sociability
• cordiality
• geniality
• affability
• amicability
• good-naturedness
• congeniality

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disobedience
• defiance
• hostility
• enmity
• recalcitrance
• animosity
• intractability
• antipathy
• ill will

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

• adherence
• compliance
• conformity
• observation
• observance
• conformance
• deference
• respect
• abidance
• keeping
• acquiescence
• surrender
• submission
• regard
• upholding
• attendance
• attention
• honor
• accession
• heed
• notice

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• violation
• breach
• infringement
• trespass
• transgression
• infraction
• disregard
• contravention
• ignoring
• neglect
• nonobservance
• forgetting
• delinquency
• sin
• offense
• offence
• rebellion
• challenge
• defiance
• dereliction
• wrong
• brush-off
• overlooking
• flouting

Examples of obedience in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Soviet leaders placed great value on obedience and loyalty. —Jeremy Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2024

The women held captive by them are made helpless by deep primal bonds of fear and obedience. —Roxana Robinson, TIME, 18 July 2024

Thuggish and poor, the Soviet Union didn’t have much to offer in exchange for obedience. —Eduardo Porter, Washington Post, 20 June 2024

The first phase involves basic obedience skills and detecting various explosives, compounds and mixtures. —Ryan Lucas, NPR, 26 June 2024