Definition of obedientnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word obedient different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of obedient are amenable, docile, and tractable. While all these words mean "submissive to the will of another," obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority.

obedient to the government

When is amenable a more appropriate choice than obedient?

The words amenable and obedient can be used in similar contexts, but amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness.

amenable to new ideas

When is it sensible to use docile instead of obedient?

Although the words docile and obedient have much in common, docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance.

a docile child

Where would tractable be a reasonable alternative to obedient?

In some situations, the words tractable and obedient are roughly equivalent. However, tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing.

tractable animals

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 obedient There won’t be a revolt, since the 2026 primaries start in just a few months, but there could be more resistance from a party that has been extraordinarily obedient to its president. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 31 Oct. 2025 Back home, Judomaster was as obedient to authority as Chris is. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025 The Golem was a powerful, obedient protector, performing tasks and defending the ghetto. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025 Ever the obedient younger brother, Norio did as requested and handed over the pen. Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obedient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedient
Adjective
  • To be clear, there is no sense that Rondón and Ugás are defending the old guard or suggesting that a docile, starving population pinioned under the grip of a dictatorship is big-picture preferable to a rebellious insurgency.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
  • At this point of the pregnancy, cat moms are also very friendly and often more docile than usual.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Even literary heroes had been growing more submissive, Whyte claimed.
    David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Less than a year after Poor Things — and a mere three months since that movie won multiple Oscars — Lanthimos reunited with Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley for a demented triptych organized around dominant-submissive relationships.
    A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Maintaining opportunities, programs and the educational experience is the district’s top priority when evaluating these cuts, Marking said, in addition to staying compliant with the law and contracts with labor partners.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The vehicle is fully compliant with National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standards.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Advertisers can use biddable automation to buy ads in real-time against live programming, which is especially critical for live sports.
    Sara Fischer, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Disney is boosting its advertising capabilities for live events, with third-party partnerships, a new certification program for live sports and entertainment as well as biddable deals for live sports.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Flanagan stars as Betty, a proud but emotionally restrained mother struggling with her daughter’s return, while Crowley plays Áine’s father Seamus.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
  • The year 2025 saw high levels of deadly violence around the world, as conflicts grew less restrained, with civilians increasingly victims of attacks by governments and non-state actors alike, according to monitoring data.
    Susannah George, Washington Post, 1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Is this suit more conformable than the costume from Revenge of the Sith?
    Ryan Parker, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 June 2022
  • Parker details that after a few meetings and sample swapping with the agency, Macy’s picked up her collection and the pair have dedicated its mission to approach size inclusive fashion in a fun yet conformable way.
    Nandi Howard, Essence, 18 May 2021
Adjective
  • Carruthers was by far the more amiable of the two, striving to seem tractable and reasonable while nevertheless lying flamboyantly.
    Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • The research team developed a route-planning system for Astrobee, the ISS’s robotic assistant, that leverages sequential convex programming—a method that decomposes complex trajectory planning into smaller, tractable steps while guaranteeing safety and feasibility.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • During voir dire, anyone who’s against capital punishment is excused from serving; the law demands that jurors remain amenable to all potential sentences.
    Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • American Idol has always been a family-friendly staple in the reality-TV world, equally amenable to grandparents and children, but its days as part of the pop-zeitgeist machine are long gone.
    Zach Schonfeld, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Obedient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedient. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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