as in rebellion
refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.
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Recent Examples of civil disobedience
This school year, Berkeley struggled with how to handle civil disobedience over the Israel-Hamas war.
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Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 6 June 2024
In recent months, several colleges have disciplined pro-Palestinian activists for ordinary speech acts and mobilized force against their acts of civil disobedience.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
Nonviolent civil disobedience, throughout American history, has demonstrably been the most effective tool through which minds are changed.
—Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
Today in history On this day in 1922, Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced in India to six years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience.
—The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil disobedience 
Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 6 June 2024
In recent months, several colleges have disciplined pro-Palestinian activists for ordinary speech acts and mobilized force against their acts of civil disobedience.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
Nonviolent civil disobedience, throughout American history, has demonstrably been the most effective tool through which minds are changed.
—Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
Today in history On this day in 1922, Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced in India to six years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience.
—The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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Meanwhile, inside Squid Game, tensions reach a boiling point as Gi-hun and his allies clash with the guards, sparking an armed rebellion.Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
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This space serves as the path to the Masked Managers’ dormitory and also as the setting for the players’ rebellion against the Front Man.Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The day after Luigi Mangione was indicted for murder, 200 top American CEOs came together, under heavily armed protection, in a bold statement of defiance of the populist fringes, not frightened away or intimidated for standing up for leadership and American character.Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
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The photo was on the front page of newspapers around the world and Trump supporters later wore it on T-shirts as a statement of defiance.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The law was implemented in 2018 and effectively legalized noncooperation between state law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials.Greg Wehner, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
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Women have also developed other forms of gendered noncooperation that can benefit mass movements.Erica Chenoweth, Foreign Affairs, 8 Feb. 2022
Thesaurus Entries Near civil disobedience
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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