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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 creates and reinforces a culture that cherishes obedience to authority over many other potential values. 
The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 But here, unexpectedly, was a Nazi soldier, a lieutenant colonel no less, one who had commanded obedience, and was himself obliged to obey—to do what? Cynthia Ozick, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2022 Despite Satan's temptation to not follow through on the act, Ibrahim showed obedience to Allah. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE.com, 8 July 2022 Not so long ago, the town was part of an austere theocracy that practiced polygamy, shunned the outside world and required absolute obedience from its followers. David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2022 Capitalizing on pandemic panic, governments and compliant media have used the lure of zero-Covid to induce obedience to harsh and arbitrary lockdown policies and associated violations of civil liberties. Jay Bhattacharya And Donald J. Boudreaux, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2021 Grant me Your grace to walk in obedience to Your commands. Connie Rowland, Woman's Day, 2 Aug. 2022 Abnesti then leaves the room in order to obtain permission to use the obedience drug on Jeff. Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 18 June 2022 Gencarella is charged with violating the department policies of courtesy, truthfulness, obedience to laws and rules, standard of conduct, rules governing conduct, and demeanor. Amanda Milkovits, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2022 See More
The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 But here, unexpectedly, was a Nazi soldier, a lieutenant colonel no less, one who had commanded obedience, and was himself obliged to obey—to do what? Cynthia Ozick, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2022 Despite Satan's temptation to not follow through on the act, Ibrahim showed obedience to Allah. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE.com, 8 July 2022 Not so long ago, the town was part of an austere theocracy that practiced polygamy, shunned the outside world and required absolute obedience from its followers. David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2022 Capitalizing on pandemic panic, governments and compliant media have used the lure of zero-Covid to induce obedience to harsh and arbitrary lockdown policies and associated violations of civil liberties. Jay Bhattacharya And Donald J. Boudreaux, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2021 Grant me Your grace to walk in obedience to Your commands. Connie Rowland, Woman's Day, 2 Aug. 2022 Abnesti then leaves the room in order to obtain permission to use the obedience drug on Jeff. Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 18 June 2022 Gencarella is charged with violating the department policies of courtesy, truthfulness, obedience to laws and rules, standard of conduct, rules governing conduct, and demeanor. Amanda Milkovits, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2022 See More 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
Kids Definition
obedience
noun
obe·di·ence ō-ˈbē-dē-əns
: the act of obeying : willingness to obey
obedience
noun
1
as in submission
a bending to the authority or control of another the drill sergeant demanded complete and unquestioning obedience from the recruits Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- submission
- compliance
- conformity
- submissiveness
- subordination
- surrender
- discipline
- dutifulness
- subservience
- acquiescence
- docility
- dutifulness
- teachableness
- meekness
- humility
- subserviency
- servility
- obeisance
- deference
- restraint
- agreeability
- obsequiousness
- suppression
- trainability
- tractability
- capitulation
- repression
- slavishness
- yielding
- amenability
- abidance
- order
- modesty
- inhibition
- control
- tractableness
- subordinateness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disobedience
- rebellion
- noncompliance
- defiance
- insubordination
- rebelliousness
- waywardness
- willfulness
- recalcitrance
- unruliness
- noncooperation
- refractoriness
- contrariness
- intractability
- rebelling
- disrespect
- frowardness
- revolt
- insolence
- insurrection
- balkiness
- obstreperousness
- recusancy
- impudence
- rudeness
- contumacy
- mutiny
- self-will
- stubbornness
- insurgency
- obstinacy
- perversity
- outbreak
- misbehavior
- pigheadedness
- insurgence
- hardheadedness
- dissent
- mulishness
- naughtiness
- mischievousness
- mutinousness
- obstinateness
- dissidence
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- submissiveness
- docility
- acquiescence
- deference
- assent
- subservience
- biddability
- compliancy
- compliance
- subserviency
- servility
- humoring
- surrender
- acceptance
- slavishness
- receptivity
- obsequiousness
- receptiveness
- conformity
- complaisance
- consent
- submission
- friendliness
- capitulation
- amenability
- amiability
- cooperativeness
- sociability
- indulgence
- geniality
- cordiality
- amicability
- affability
- good-naturedness
- congeniality
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disobedience
- defiance
- hostility
- enmity
- recalcitrance
- animosity
- intractability
- antipathy
- ill will
3
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law expectations of strict obedience to the guidelines were soon dashed Synonyms & Similar Words
- adherence
- compliance
- conformity
- observance
- observation
- conformance
- deference
- acquiescence
- respect
- abidance
- keeping
- surrender
- upholding
- submission
- attendance
- attention
- honor
- regard
- accession
- heed
- notice
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- violation
- trespass
- transgression
- infringement
- breach
- disregard
- infraction
- contravention
- ignoring
- neglect
- nonobservance
- forgetting
- delinquency
- sin
- rebellion
- defiance
- offense
- offence
- challenge
- dereliction
- wrong
- brush-off
- overlooking
- flouting
- overhappy
- overharvest
- overharvested
- overharvesting
- overharvests
- overhaste
- overhasty
- overhated
- overhates
- overhating
- overhaul
- overhauled
- overhauler
- overhaulers
- overhauling
- overhaulings
- overhauls
- overhead
- overhead fire
- overhead man
- overhead projector
- overhead railway
- overhead valve
- overheads
- overheaped