obedience

noun

obe·​di·​ence ō-ˈbē-dē-ən(t)s 

ə-

1

a

: an act or instance of obeying

b

: the quality or state of being obedient

Children should learn obedience and respect for authority.

2

: a sphere of jurisdiction

landowners within the king's obedience

especially : an ecclesiastical or sometimes secular dominion

under the obedience of the Bishop of Rome

Synonyms

• compliance
• conformity
• submission
• subordination

Examples of obedience in a Sentence

the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits

the cowardly obedience with which the dictator's henchmen followed his every command

Recent Examples on the Web

At school, we are praised for obedience and penalized for questioning authority. —Dr. Sunita Sah, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025

Marin Humane offers an array of classes for you and your canine buddy, from basic obedience to scenting to agility. —Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024

The original Caligari, in which a mysterious doctor and his fortune-telling somnambulist commit a series of murders and drive two young people to madness, is often regarded as a critique of Germans’ blind obedience to tyrannical authority during the First World War. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024

The dogs were prized by sportsmen for their obedience and hunting skills. —Rosa Rahimi, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin oboedientia "act of obeying" (Medieval Latin also, "sphere of jurisdiction"), noun derivative of oboedient-, oboedient obedient

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing obedience

• in obedience

Kids Definition

obedience

noun

obe·​di·​ence ō-ˈbēd-ē-ən(t)s 

ə-

1

: an act or instance of obeying

2

: the quality or state of being obedient