1
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another
the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits
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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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of obedience
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
According to the non-fiction author and blogger Leanna Mae, who herself is Apostolic Pentecostal, refusing to cut hair is an act of obedience to the scriptures.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obedience 
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
According to the non-fiction author and blogger Leanna Mae, who herself is Apostolic Pentecostal, refusing to cut hair is an act of obedience to the scriptures.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obedience
Noun
-
Encourage candidates to highlight projects, certifications and nontraditional experiences in their submissions.—
Casey Marquette,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Selected from more than 60 submissions, the five projects at the Copro Pitch 2025 span a wide range of subjects and genres.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Philippine government's use of PCG assets in this context aims not to provoke China, but to resolve differences through rational discussion and adherence to international law.—
Micah McCartney,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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These advancements could help provide smoother trips, reduce stress for travelers and increase adherence to company travel policies.—
Duke Chung,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For businesses, this means investing in transparency and compliance—challenges that could ultimately yield competitive advantages.—
Aaron Mendes,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
-
Twitter was fined $350,000 for failing to show good faith and timely compliance, in a case the Supreme Court declined to review.—
Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports,
arkansasonline.com,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That shaky hold over the chamber soured hopes that there would be a quick acquiescence to putting in place a Leadership team that had the support from Trump.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
3 Jan. 2025
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In fact, the public acquiescence of senior officials throughout the process reaffirmed Russia’s authoritarian hierarchy and Putin’s place at its apex.—
Julian G. Waller,
Foreign Affairs,
14 Aug. 2024
Noun
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Insisting on a different history—or a challenging monument—did not come easily to a Jewish population that was, for centuries, intent on conformity.—
Sam Knight,
The New Yorker,
2 Jan. 2025
-
As an instrument of power and control in a single-party system, the North Korean military places supreme emphasis on doctrine, hierarchy, and conformity.—
Frank Lavin,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Direct observation eventually undermined the theory.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Jan. 2025
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As both a documentarian and frequent interviewee himself, Questlove says that he’s learned that using contemporary observations, especially from a subject, aren’t necessarily the best way to pinpoint their impact.—
Todd Gilchrist,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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What spending time on TikTok represents — to me, at least — is a kind of cognitive surrender, a willingness to stop actively directing my thoughts and feelings and to let ByteDance’s algorithm entertain me for a while.—
Kevin Roose,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
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The surfacing narrative that bothered Kerr and Curry, an under-the-radar avid consumer of Internet content, was the surrender topic.—
Anthony Slater,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The end of Chevron deference to federal agencies may help businesses, universities and public interest groups in immigration lawsuits during a second Trump administration should officials enact policies like those in the first term.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
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In the end, dictators tap into something essential in human nature—the deference before a bully.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near obedience
Cite this Entry
“Obedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obedience. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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