as in rebellion
refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.
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Recent Examples of civil disobedience
Open letters about the 2016 election and civil disobedience.
—
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025
Instead of lobbying Congress or engaging in large acts of civil disobedience, different forms of resistance are being spotlighted.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Two major opposition leaders, the Democrats’ Yair Golan and Yair Lapid, of the centrist party Yesh Atid, each called for civil disobedience: a mass refusal to pay taxes and a general strike.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
He has been arrested for civil disobedience at several demonstrations.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025
Instead of lobbying Congress or engaging in large acts of civil disobedience, different forms of resistance are being spotlighted.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Two major opposition leaders, the Democrats’ Yair Golan and Yair Lapid, of the centrist party Yesh Atid, each called for civil disobedience: a mass refusal to pay taxes and a general strike.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
He has been arrested for civil disobedience at several demonstrations.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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The light pink Rose Blossoming Set gives me a sense of femininity and calmness while the black Serpent dress gives me a feeling of rebellion and power.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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Could today’s culture be encouraging identity shifts as a form of rebellion?—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 June 2025
Noun
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But general director Lawrence Edelson struck a note of defiance in his opening remarks on Friday, to cheers.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
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The Maryland sheet metal worker was released from prison in El Salvador and put on a plane back to the U.S. two months after he was deported to his homeland in defiance of an order not to return him there for fear of persecution, ABC News first reported.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
Noun
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These movements used many different tools at their disposal — lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, work slowdowns, boycotts and other forms of noncooperation and resistance.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2025
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Each campus should follow state law and guidelines regarding noncooperation with ICE and/or other federal entities.—
Isidro Ortiz,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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