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
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obedience
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the prophet Abraham, a figure central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, for his willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God.
—
Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
Former officers described courts issuing release orders that intelligence officials ignored with impunity, prosecutors pursuing cases without evidence and security agencies using prolonged detention, torture and public accusations to impose political obedience.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
As the ministry at Sam Houston grew into the largest Chi Alpha chapter in the country, his teachings — including an emphasis on unquestioned obedience to spiritual leaders — spread with it, carried by former students who went on to launch chapters across Texas and beyond.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Augustinians also take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 14 May 2026
Former officers described courts issuing release orders that intelligence officials ignored with impunity, prosecutors pursuing cases without evidence and security agencies using prolonged detention, torture and public accusations to impose political obedience.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
As the ministry at Sam Houston grew into the largest Chi Alpha chapter in the country, his teachings — including an emphasis on unquestioned obedience to spiritual leaders — spread with it, carried by former students who went on to launch chapters across Texas and beyond.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 7 May 2026
Augustinians also take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
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Trump had been touting the emerging deal for weeks and the continuing conflict threatened to overshadow the UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza, where combatants inside a wire-mesh Octagon tried to punch, kick, chop and pummel each other into submission.—
Will Weissert,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2026
-
Maine’s submission included a bone from the endangered North Atlantic right whale.—
Holly Ramer,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
When medication becomes a financial burden, adherence drops, and preventable complications rise.—
Nicole F. Roberts,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
Noun
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At a compliance hearing, Judge Michael Kulling rules Butler is meeting the terms of his probation.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
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Leverage certifications and systems like Bluesign to avoid duplication and reduce compliance costs.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
Not in Beijing, where silence is often interpreted as acquiescence.—
Peter Roff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Sybil, who spent her younger years beleaguered by the presence of her double, that emblem of feminine conformity named Désirée, never manages to perceive herself as anything but abnormal by comparison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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Ever since the ratification of the 14th Amendment in the wake of the Civil War, the justices have played the role of reviewing not only federal but also state laws for conformity with the Constitution.—
Noah Feldman,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The surrender to infectious disease that some of the worst among us contemplate is not inevitable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The North Node in Pisces, however, points toward surrender, compassion, intuition, imagination, faith and spirituality.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
During South Korea’s nearly quarter century of authoritarian rule from the 1960s to 1980s, many news outlets were cowed into docility, dutifully echoing government propaganda.—
Susan Chira,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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