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
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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
Rabbinic tales of the Golem asked what happens when obedience outstrips wisdom.
—
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Their training often requires patience, consistency and plenty of exercise to channel their drive into obedience and positive behaviors.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
The charges were listed as obedience to a traffic control device required and DUI.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2025
Young lawyers and career government lawyers are often idealistic, willing to sacrifice personal gain for the public good, but the prospect of working for this attorney general might seem the worst sort of dead-end job — one requiring blind obedience to unworthy goals.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
Their training often requires patience, consistency and plenty of exercise to channel their drive into obedience and positive behaviors.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
The charges were listed as obedience to a traffic control device required and DUI.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2025
Young lawyers and career government lawyers are often idealistic, willing to sacrifice personal gain for the public good, but the prospect of working for this attorney general might seem the worst sort of dead-end job — one requiring blind obedience to unworthy goals.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
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Failing that, to batter you into submission, to convince you that Israel’s power and control is so great that it cannot be faced, and must only be endorsed or endured.—
Jack Sheehan
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Jacir is also premiering her latest feature, Palestine 36, a historical drama about the 1936 uprising against British rule that just became Palestine’s international Oscar submission.—
Mathew Scott,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Jackets, ties, nylons and shoulder pads made a comeback, all in strict adherence to a dress code that hadn't been revised in decades.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Then just four months ago, the Supreme Court stated that adherence to extant precedent like Humphrey's Executor controls in resolving stay motions.—
Jon Brodkin,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though the pair eventually found employment—Kornfeind as a trade compliance specialist and Raines as an administrative assistant at their alma mater—these accounts of the gauntlet facing recent college graduates are far from unique.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
In May 2024, the DOJ found that Boeing had breached the agreement by failing to implement appropriate corporate compliance and safety measures.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This lack of callout could be construed as a form of acquiescence that the delusion is apt.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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In March, with Trump’s more or less full acquiescence, Netanyahu ended a ceasefire with Hamas that the U.S. had brokered in January.—
Susan B. Glasser,
New Yorker,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
In practice, what is welcomed is conformity masquerading as authenticity.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
News reporting and other media encouraged conformity and political passivity.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Full confirmation will come as other astronomers make observations of the moon.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Space.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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What follows are the observations of a trio of housing industry veterans, each with different takes on the extent of -- and possible ways to chip away at – the vexing problem.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And in that surrender, curiosity returns.—
Chris Schembra,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
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Under today’s Pisces lunar eclipse, surrender makes space for better things.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The odds of a court petition would be long, however, as federal law requires judges to show deference towards arbitrators.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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When adjudicating a request filed on Form I-129 involving the same parties and the same underlying facts, USCIS gives deference to its prior determination of the petitioner’s, applicant's, or beneficiary's eligibility.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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