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Synonyms

noncooperation

American  
[non-koh-op-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌnɒn koʊˌɒp əˈreɪ ʃən /
Or nonco-operation

noun

  1. failure or refusal to cooperate.

  2. a method or practice, as that established in India by Gandhi, of showing opposition to acts or policies of the government by refusing to participate in civic and political life or to obey governmental regulations.


noncooperation British  
/ ˌnɒnkəʊˈɒpərətɪv, ˌnɒnkəʊˌɒpəˈreɪʃən /

noun

  1. failure or refusal to cooperate

  2. refusal to pay taxes, obey government decrees, etc, as a protest

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of noncooperation

First recorded in 1785–95; non- + cooperation

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.

See Examples For:

This weekend America saw how deadly the consequences of noncooperation can be.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 26, 2026

As recently as the noncooperation movement in 1920-22, women played a far more circumscribed role.

From BBC Nov. 29, 2025

Obvious forms of noncooperation include boycotts or strikes, but that’s just a beginning.

From Salon Sep. 30, 2025

Black leather unmistakably communicates noncooperation with a formal or clean-cut dress code; it telegraphs insouciance, skepticism, jadedness.

From Washington Post Feb. 5, 2023

The Program of Action approved at the annual conference called for the pursuit of political rights through the use of boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience, and noncooperation.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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