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Synonyms

obey

American

[oh-bey] / oʊˈbeɪ /

verb (used with object)

to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of.

to obey one's parents.
to comply with or follow (a command, restriction, wish, instruction, etc.).
(of things) to respond conformably in action to.

The car obeyed the slightest touch of the steering wheel.
to submit or conform in action to (some guiding principle, impulse, one's conscience, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to be obedient.

to agree to obey.

obey British

/ əˈbeɪ /

verb

to carry out (instructions or orders); comply with (demands)
to behave or act in accordance with (one's feelings, whims, etc)

"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

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Derived Forms

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Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of obey

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English obeien, from Old French obeir, from Latin oboedīre, equivalent to ob- ob- + audīre “to hear”; -oe- for expected -ū- is unclear

Explanation

When you obey, you follow someone's rules or instructions. In the old days, all of a monarchy's citizens were expected to obey the commands of their king or queen. You might be expected to obey the rules your strict parents lay down, or to obey the guidelines of a group or club you belong to. Religious Christians obey God, and soldiers obey the direct orders their commanding officers give them. To obey is to be obedient, and both words come from the Latin obedire, which literally means "listen to," but is used to mean "pay attention to."

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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:

obey obeys obeyed obeying

Antonelli was in no mood to obey a computer algorithm.

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

They want safe streets and drivers of all vehicles to obey the law or pay a price.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

“The pro-slavery factions were picking on specific verses like ‘slaves obey your masters’ and saying, ‘Well, we’re clearly advancing the more biblical society because look, the Bible says exactly what we’re doing,’” Coffman said.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

Because visitors and immigrants must obey U.S. laws, the court found that they are subject to its jurisdiction.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

It was part of his life and if he could obey the one drive, the drive to be in the team and pull, then nothing else mattered.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

The gravel bucket obeys that law, since shaking creates heat, which is disordered energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

He added that he "obeys the government and will pay it" as he didn't know the repayment was not legally required.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025

Min-sung obeys Young-tak to ensure access to resources, but at home Myung-hwa can’t hide her disappointment in him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2023

Quantum mechanics background: All the matter in the universe obeys the laws of quantum theory, but we only really observe quantum behaviour at the scale of atoms and molecules.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2023

A song I know comes on and my body obeys the familiar rhythm.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

But it was PSG who obeyed the message, delivering a third-minute hammer blow when Georgian genius Khvicha Kvaratskhelia raced down the wing before setting up Ousmane Dembele to lash a finish high past Manuel Neuer.

From BBC ● May 6, 2026

Abrahamson said Good should have obeyed the officer’s command to exit from the vehicle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026

Indeed, the characteristic feature of a country ruled by law is the shared understanding that court orders will be obeyed without the necessity of employing force or other modes of coercion.

From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2025

“We obeyed the law and we kept the peace. And that’s not bad.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2024

Jo obeyed, but as her hand went softly to and fro across Beth’s hot forehead and wet eyelids, her heart was very full and she longed to speak.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Mohamed says the most important thing is to follow Japan's rules, including sorting refuse properly, obeying parking laws, and wearing helmets when riding your bicycle.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

We let ourselves blend into the algorithm, feeding and obeying the machine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

Some of them had no intention of obeying their village chief.

From Barron's ● Mar. 14, 2026

They are the ones most likely to be held accountable for obeying and transmitting unlawful orders because they are the ones who had the best chance of getting those orders changed or revoked.

From Slate ● Nov. 24, 2025

Not waiting for Ridgeway’s order—or obeying a signal shared only by the slave catcher and the boy secretary—Homer drove the wagon away from the doomed town.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023