obedience

noun

ō-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s How to pronounce obedience (audio)
Definition of obediencenext
1
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits

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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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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

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 obedience Falwell championed a vision of America rooted in obedience to biblical authority and conformity with traditional values, placing him in tension with Enlightenment principles like individual rights, rational inquiry, and free thought. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 One of six K-9s with the sheriff’s office, Koda is trained in narcotics detection, tracking people, article searches and obedience. — Marissa Yelenik, Baltimore Sun, 24 Aug. 2026 In order to get Maggie, her beloved first rough collie, then 16-year-old Long-Gschwender struck a bargain with her mom to enter Maggie into an obedience program. — Noah Daly august 23, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026 What ended the relationship was his insistence on obedience and dominance. — Rin Reczek, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
  1. submission
  2. submissiveness
  3. adherence
  4. compliance
  5. acquiescence
  6. conformity
  7. surrender
  8. docility
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
  • Attraction is a function of parentage and looks and submissiveness.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 May 2026
  • But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.
    — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Definition of submissiveness
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
  • The Florida Public Service Commission must still review FPL’s compliance filing.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Some point out that the commission’s claim of company savings on compliance costs is overblown.
    — Tzachi Zach, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of compliance
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
  • The Orwellian parallels and Cold War overtones are strong on this particular planet, where a hive-mind entity enforces conformity through mass surveillance and zero-tolerance punishments.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That sense of propriety was partly imposed upon him by his father, who, in covering up John’s misdeed, placed an albatross around his son’s neck, demanding his conformity to a narrow sort of principle.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of conformity
Noun
  • Townshend was born in West London in May 1945, just days before Germany’s surrender, to musical parents – his father a professional saxophonist and his mother a singer.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The spread between what a carrier offers on surrender and what the secondary market will pay is often not small.
    — Rob Haynie, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of surrender
Noun
  • Carlson-Wee introduces himself to Wood with the sweet docility of a young boy meeting his hero.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
  • The same goes for docility, often characterized as a near neighbor of meekness.
    — Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of docility

Browse Nearby Words

obdurateness
obedience
obediences
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on obedience

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obedience

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