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

This approach often places a heavy emphasis on obedience and discipline, with little room for dialogue or compromise. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025

His boundless energy is a standout trait, but, despite his high energy, Jerry balances it with obedience and a sweet nature. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025

Stanley Milgram’s obedience experiments also reveal another dimension of compliance: the abdication of responsibility. —Dr. Sunita Sah, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025

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

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