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
To capture it on camera, Siegel and McGehee leaned on Bing’s obedience and his very game co-star.
—
Jake Kring-Schreifels, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2025
Owners of high-energy dogs may choose to supplement walks with obedience, or agility training.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Even so, their training focuses heavily on discipline and obedience.
—Samuel C. Mahaney, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025
Most leaders instinctively prefer commitment because engagement feels better than grudging obedience.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Jake Kring-Schreifels, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2025
Owners of high-energy dogs may choose to supplement walks with obedience, or agility training.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
Even so, their training focuses heavily on discipline and obedience.
—Samuel C. Mahaney, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2025
Most leaders instinctively prefer commitment because engagement feels better than grudging obedience.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
-
This budget is not a final submission and anything that is submitted would need the approval of Congress to be implemented.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
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As part of his tightening grip on power, and his assault on 200-plus years of checks and balances, President Trump has bludgeoned some of the nation’s leading law firms into shameful submission, extracting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free legal work for his pet causes.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The new monitor’s report, made public Friday, heaped praise on the department’s consent decree adherence between July 1 – Dec. 31, 2024.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2025
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Just as political leaders are incentivized to prioritize performance over governance, business leaders must be wary of systems that reward visibility, short-term wins, or rigid adherence to outdated strategies.—
Nate Bennett,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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New York reports 43% compliance, and California has reached nearly 55% compliance.—
Taylor Johnston,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2025
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Google implemented a strict email bulk sender authentication compliance requirement for Gmail messages starting April 1, 2024.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Small states have risen to power on first-mover advantages, often with the acquiescence or benign neglect of larger states.—
Kurt M. Campbell,
Foreign Affairs,
10 Apr. 2025
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The acquiescence stunned House Democrats, who had voted almost unanimously against the bill earlier in the week and expected Schumer and the Senate Democrats to follow suit.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Their entire suburban community onscreen is built upon the mundanity of conformity, complete with Janice’s job at a Big Lots-adjacent big box retailer and her husband’s penchant for drinking beers alone at Sizzlin’ Sallies.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
4 Apr. 2025
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In confidential interviews, students voiced deep frustration that their academic experience is being eclipsed by ideological imperatives, with many lamenting the intrusion of political conformity into spaces meant for intellectual and professional growth.—
Kevin Waldman,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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One option is to conduct observations at submillimeter radio wavelengths, which is the next waveband up from far-infrared.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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In simplest terms, the rate at which the universe expands on paper doesn’t match actual astronomical observations.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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When Dane, chief of the Children of Light, swallows his pride and agrees to help the villagers in exchange for Perrin’s surrender at battle’s end, he’s taken by surprise by enemy agents within their midst, led by season one’s minor antagonist, Padan Fain.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2025
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Far from proposing lenient surrender terms to exonerate the Confederates, Grant did so in an effort to change their hearts and minds.—
Made by History,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After all, this will go to the very Supreme Court that declared, when overruling Chevron, that courts owe no deference to the executive branch when interpreting statutes.—
Cristian Farias,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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With an about-face and flattery, executives hoped this time around that Mr. Trump might show tech more deference, including it in his efforts to deregulate industries like energy and autos.—
Cecilia Kang,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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