compliance

noun

kəm-ˈplī-ən(t)s How to pronounce compliance (audio)
Definition of compliancenext
1
as in obedience
a readiness or willingness to yield to the wishes of others a strong-willed pop star who is not known for her compliance

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2
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another an administrator who demands prompt and unquestioning compliance from subordinates

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3
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law compliance with the statute was far from universal

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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 compliance In seeking a delay, Arizona’s attorneys said Silver adopted a drastic takeover remedy without first trying intermediate fixes to speed compliance. — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 The closed-loop system is designed to help with regulatory compliance without requiring companies to build their own recycling infrastructure. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 There’s a real challenge that AI agents will start to go against compliance and erode customer trust—especially in regulated industries like those that ServiceNow sits in. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 Companies could reasonably rely on suppliers, carriers, freight brokers, customs brokers, logistics service providers and other partners to manage portions of supply chain operations and compliance. — Ed Ryan, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compliance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compliance
  1. obedience
  2. submission
  3. adherence
  4. compliancy
  5. conformity
  6. conformance
  7. acquiescence
  8. observation
Noun
  • Now, the Department has decided that obedience supersedes all else, requiring us to abdicate our legal and ethical obligations in favor of directions from Washington.
    — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The goal is to reform them rather than get rid of them entirely, which strengthens the party by encouraging obedience and dedication to the party’s cause.
    — ANDREW MERTHA, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of obedience
Noun
  • These event listeners enhance accessibility by enabling form submission or closure // when the user presses either the 'Enter' or 'Space' key.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Syrian prison documentary The Other Side of the Sun, directed by Tawfik Sabouni, has been selected as Syria’s submission for the best international feature film Oscar at the 99th Academy Awards.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of submission
Noun
  • As part of the settlement, Paramount agreed to the formation of an editorial oversight board that will monitor adherence to editorial independence from its owners and shareholders.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But any long-term solution will depend on the physical condition of its campus, its adherence to its original mission as a living memorial and the reliable, responsible and accountable governance of its leaders.
    — E. Andrew Taylor, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of adherence
Noun
  • Paired with the news of Mahomes’ restructure, the Chiefs have opened up a simple path to compliancy.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 2026
  • While the legislation aims to address gaps in compliancy with federal transparency rules, the Wisconsin Hospital Association argues it's not needed as the state ranks high in transparency adherence.
    — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 11 June 2025
Definition of compliancy
Noun
  • In the late 1800s and the 1900s, as the forces of conformity and anonymity bore down on urban life, Thornton said everyday people began adding flair to their own signatures, too.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Environmental damage, plastic waste and the conformity of suburbia prompted designers and countercultural communities to imagine other ways of living — up to a point.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of conformity
Noun
  • This is to ensure conformance to an overarching body of human values, standards, cultural norms, expectations and usability considerations.
    — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Explain how the agent takes in tasks and context and how the output is measured against definable tolerances (targets, conformances and limits).
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of conformance
Noun
  • Their acquiescence to this encroachment on their powers has made these politicians increasingly dependent on a dysfunctional national government.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026
  • But many assumptions that Stratos’ investors or Utah politicians might have had about Box Elder County – about either the acquiescence of its people or the barrenness of its landscape – have been proved wrong over the past few months.
    — Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of acquiescence
Noun
  • However, with these new observations from JWST, scientists have unprecedented detailed views of the stars and protostars still forming amidst the gas and dust.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Police said the test provided additional evidence consistent with their observations.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of observation

Browse Nearby Words

complexness
compliance
compliances
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Cite this Entry

“Compliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compliance. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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