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Showing results for disobedience. Search instead for preobedience.
Synonyms

disobedience

American  
[dis-uh-bee-dee-uhns] / ˌdɪs əˈbi di əns /

noun

  1. lack of obedience or refusal to comply; disregard or transgression.


disobedience British  
/ ˌdɪsəˈbiːdɪəns /

noun

  1. lack of obedience

"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

Etymology

Origin of disobedience

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French desobedience, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + obedience obedience

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.

But Farbiarz was not inclined to let this disobedience go unpunished.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

That summer, 1960, Jackson came home and led a sit-in at the library, his arrest a first taste of civil disobedience.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Other groups are providing nonviolent civil disobedience training, for example, which organizers describe as calling attention to the injustice of the current policy.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

"Glasgow's long history of civil disobedience and meaningful change has been a barometer throughout the making of this film," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

When she sensed she was being tested, she responded swiftly, sending kids home or ordering them to run extra laps at the first sign of disobedience.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John