disobey
verb (used with or without object)
to neglect or refuse to obey.
had disobeyed
-
past perfectof disobey.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"If I had disobeyed my mother and gone to New York, what might have happened to me?" asks Gláucia Fekete.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
Magnus said Mayorkas then asked for his resignation during a videoconference, telling Magnus that he and CBP staff had lost confidence in him and that Magnus had disobeyed him by traveling to El Paso.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2022
More than 180 people were arrested that night, most on charges that they had disobeyed a police dispersal order, but none were prosecuted, as City Atty.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2022
“I found that the ‘look’ appeared most often when owners scolded their dogs, regardless of whether the dog had disobeyed or did something for which they might or should feel guilty.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 19, 2014
There was a lesson in what I had done, a lesson I already knew but had disobeyed out of desperation.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
