obedient
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of obedient
1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin oboedient- (stem of oboediēns ), present participle of oboedīre to obey; see -ent
Explanation
If you always do what you’re told, you can be described as obedient. Authority figures love to have obedient followers. When you realize that the word obedient comes from a Latin word meaning “to obey,” it’s easy to remember what obedient means. Use obedient to describe someone who knows the rules, toes the line, and follows instructions. The word can refer to people (an obedient student), a group (obedient citizens), or even animals (an obedient dog).
Vocabulary lists containing obedient
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Two Kinds"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Drama
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Descriptors such as "intelligent," "obedient," "good with children," "dedicated," "calm," and "cheerful" appeared with similar frequency in both groups.
From Science Daily • Nov. 29, 2025
“Sometimes we would just punch it and it would work,” says director Yorgos Lanthimos, who relied on more obedient cameras for past films including his Oscar-nominated “Poor Things” and “The Favourite.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025
Jon Stewart ended Thursday by hosting a special “government-approved” edition of “The Daily Show,” identifying himself as its “patriotically obedient host.”
From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025
She wasn’t so much superstitious as obedient, devoted to making the ineffable routine and mysticism accessible even to the uninitiated.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2025
It was an introverted life, self-sufficient, stagnant, steeped in that singular “ignorance” prized by the Handdarata and obedient to their rule of inactivity or noninterference.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
