docile

adjective

doc·ile ˈdä-səl How to pronounce docile (audio)

also -ˌsī(-ə)l,

especially British ˈdō-ˌsī(-ə)l

: easily taught

a docile pupil

: easily led or managed : tractable

a docile pony

docilely

ˈdä-sə(l)-lē How to pronounce docile (audio)

adverb

docility

dä-ˈsi-lə-tē How to pronounce docile (audio)

dō-

noun

Did you know?

Ready to learn the origin of docile?

Docile students can make teaching a lot easier. Nowadays, calling students "docile" indicates they aren't trouble-makers; however, there's more than just good behavior connecting docility to teachability. The original meaning of docile is more to the point: "readily absorbing something taught." "The docile mind may soon thy precepts know," rendered Ben Jonson, for example, in a 17th-century translation of the Roman poet Horace. Docile comes from Latin docēre, which means "to teach." Other descendants of docēre include doctrine (which can mean "something that is taught"), document (an early meaning of which was "instruction"), and doctor and docent (both of which can refer to college teachers).

Example Sentences

In the course of a single month, from Annie's arrival to her triumph in bridling the household despot, Helen [Keller] had grown docile, affectionate, and tirelessly intent on learning from moment to moment.

Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 16 & 23 June 2003 Africanized honeybees look like the European honeybees now commonly found in our gardens, and like their relatives, they make honey. They are fairly docile when they are foraging, but they defend their nests ferociously.

Lynn Ocone, Sunset, February 1994 His students were docile and eager to learn. a docile young pony that went wherever it was led

Recent Examples on the Web Sheep—docile, ravenous and just the right height—easily smoked the field.

Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 In the early 1990s, once Africanized bees began taking over European beehives in southern Arizona, his hives were Africanized and his once docile bees became aggressive.

Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 While some shades of pink feel docile, soothing, and domestic, shocking pink is anything but.

Katy Kelleher, refinery29.com, 14 July 2022 Not many people want to stick out their necks or take a position on certain issues, hence a docile approach to decision-making.

Abiola Salami, Forbes, 28 June 2022 During the monsoon season, torrential rains turn docile rivers into raging waterways, and people rely on centuries-old bridges to access farms, schools, and markets.

Anne Pinto-rodrigues, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 Kleopfer said eastern kingsnakes are quite docile and seldom bite when handled but will typically just vibrate their tail.

Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 If this was easier to do in France than the United States, the difference may lie more in the latter country’s decentralized legislative power than in the French citizenry’s docile nature.

Justin E. H. Smith, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 Will Speaker Nancy Pelosi now herd them across it like a docile flock of lambs?

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 31 July 2022 See More

docile

adjective

as in obedient

readily giving in to the command or authority of another a docile young pony that went wherever it was led

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

obedient
submissive
compliant
restrained
tractable
meek
biddable
gentle
amenable
soft
tame
acquiescent
controllable
conformable
amiable
decorous
dutiful
obliging
law-abiding
repressed
subservient
servile
agreeable
obsequious
subordinate
placable
governable
fawning
orderly
slavish
disciplined
obeisant
mannerly
yielding
manageable
surrendering
constrained
duteous
mild
trainable
kowtowing
teachable
inhibited
handleable
curbed
disciplinable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unruly
defiant
rebellious
restive
willful
disobedient
wilful
recalcitrant
obstreperous
wayward
stubborn
ungovernable
contumacious
obstinate
insubordinate
intractable
contrary
mutinous
refractory
headstrong
wild
unamenable
obdurate
noncompliant
uncontrollable
defiant
balky
unyielding
peevish
resistant
hardheaded
unmanageable
froward
rebel
mulish
untoward
mischievous
insurgent
dogged
pigheaded
perverse
incompliant
self-willed
bad
naughty
disorderly
undisciplined
balky
insolent
impudent
errant
rude
nonconformist
disrespectful
dissident
impolite
misbehaving
ill-bred
ill-mannered

Synonym Chooser

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

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

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

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

单词	docile
释义	docile adjective doc·ile ˈdä-səl also -ˌsī(-ə)l, especially British ˈdō-ˌsī(-ə)l 1 : easily taught a docile pupil 2 : easily led or managed : tractable a docile pony docilely ˈdä-sə(l)-lē adverb docility dä-ˈsi-lə-tē dō- noun Did you know? Ready to learn the origin of docile? Docile students can make teaching a lot easier. Nowadays, calling students "docile" indicates they aren't trouble-makers; however, there's more than just good behavior connecting docility to teachability. The original meaning of docile is more to the point: "readily absorbing something taught." "The docile mind may soon thy precepts know," rendered Ben Jonson, for example, in a 17th-century translation of the Roman poet Horace. Docile comes from Latin docēre, which means "to teach." Other descendants of docēre include doctrine (which can mean "something that is taught"), document (an early meaning of which was "instruction"), and doctor and docent (both of which can refer to college teachers). Synonyms amenable biddable compliant conformable law-abiding obedient submissive tractable See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences In the course of a single month, from Annie's arrival to her triumph in bridling the household despot, Helen [Keller] had grown docile, affectionate, and tirelessly intent on learning from moment to moment. Cynthia Ozick, New Yorker, 16 & 23 June 2003 Africanized honeybees look like the European honeybees now commonly found in our gardens, and like their relatives, they make honey. They are fairly docile when they are foraging, but they defend their nests ferociously. Lynn Ocone, Sunset, February 1994 His students were docile and eager to learn. a docile young pony that went wherever it was led Recent Examples on the Web Sheep—docile, ravenous and just the right height—easily smoked the field. Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 In the early 1990s, once Africanized bees began taking over European beehives in southern Arizona, his hives were Africanized and his once docile bees became aggressive. Sarah Lapidus, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2022 While some shades of pink feel docile, soothing, and domestic, shocking pink is anything but. Katy Kelleher, refinery29.com, 14 July 2022 Not many people want to stick out their necks or take a position on certain issues, hence a docile approach to decision-making. Abiola Salami, Forbes, 28 June 2022 During the monsoon season, torrential rains turn docile rivers into raging waterways, and people rely on centuries-old bridges to access farms, schools, and markets. Anne Pinto-rodrigues, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 June 2022 Kleopfer said eastern kingsnakes are quite docile and seldom bite when handled but will typically just vibrate their tail. Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2022 If this was easier to do in France than the United States, the difference may lie more in the latter country’s decentralized legislative power than in the French citizenry’s docile nature. Justin E. H. Smith, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022 Will Speaker Nancy Pelosi now herd them across it like a docile flock of lambs? The Editorial Board, WSJ, 31 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Latin docilis, from docēre to teach; akin to Latin decēre to be fitting — more at decent First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition docile adjective doc·ile ˈdä-səl : easily taught, led, or managed a docile horse docile adjective as in obedient readily giving in to the command or authority of another a docile young pony that went wherever it was led Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance obedient submissive compliant restrained tractable meek biddable gentle amenable soft tame acquiescent controllable conformable amiable decorous dutiful obliging law-abiding repressed subservient servile agreeable obsequious subordinate placable governable fawning orderly slavish disciplined obeisant mannerly yielding manageable surrendering constrained duteous mild trainable kowtowing teachable inhibited handleable curbed disciplinable Antonyms & Near Antonyms unruly defiant rebellious restive willful disobedient wilful recalcitrant obstreperous wayward stubborn ungovernable contumacious obstinate insubordinate intractable contrary mutinous refractory headstrong wild unamenable obdurate noncompliant uncontrollable defiant balky unyielding peevish resistant hardheaded unmanageable froward rebel mulish untoward mischievous insurgent dogged pigheaded perverse incompliant self-willed bad naughty disorderly undisciplined balky insolent impudent errant rude nonconformist disrespectful dissident impolite misbehaving ill-bred ill-mannered See More Synonym Chooser 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 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 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 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
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docile

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser