disobey

verb

dis·​obey ˌdis-ə-ˈbā How to pronounce disobey (audio)
-ō-
disobeyed; disobeying; disobeys
Synonyms of disobeynext

transitive verb

: to fail to obey
disobeyer noun

Examples of disobey in a Sentence

If you disobey, you will be severely punished. The soldier disobeyed the general's orders. He was afraid to disobey his father. The driver had disobeyed the law.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
He is also accused of disobeying a superior officer and making a false official statement. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025 One aviation expert argued that IndiGo not only disobeyed the regulations, but also increased its domestic flights without increasing crew and pilots. semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025 Germany most explicitly spells out the duty to disobey unlawful orders (nobody has ever questioned the duty to obey lawful ones, obviously), while France, Britain, Israel and other Western countries have analogs. Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025 Under military law, service members are obligated to obey lawful orders, but to disobey unlawful orders. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disobey

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French desobeir, from des- dis- + obeir to obey

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of disobey was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disobey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disobey. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

disobey

verb
dis·​obey ˌdis-ə-ˈbā How to pronounce disobey (audio)
: to refuse, neglect, or fail to obey

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