Synonym Chooser

How is the word docile different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of docile are amenable, obedient, and tractable. While all these words mean "submissive to the will of another," docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance.

a docile child

When can amenable be used instead of docile?

The words amenable and docile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness.

amenable to new ideas

In what contexts can obedient take the place of docile?

The synonyms obedient and docile are sometimes interchangeable, but obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority.

obedient to the government

When would tractable be a good substitute for docile?

The words tractable and docile can be used in similar contexts, but tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing.

tractable animals

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 docile Theo knocks Paulie onto his back and basically kicks him through the rest of the hall like a docile plastic bag drifting through the wind. Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2024 Photo : William Walker, courtesy of RM Sotheby's The Ferrari 550 Maranello sports car is remarkably docile but equally engaging on a twisty road or in the heat of an accelerative moment. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2025 The gestating women are docile and encouraged not to question the process, distracted by activities like yoga, painting or listening to music. Holly Jones, Variety, 10 Feb. 2025 Like Somma, Wendt wants to complicate perceptions that the capybara has a docile nature. Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for docile

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Cite this Entry

“Docile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/docile. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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