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obedient

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).

Definitions of obedient
  1. adjective
    dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
    “an obedient soldier”
    obedient children”
    “a little man obedient to his wife”
    “the obedient colonies...are heavily taxed”
    Synonyms:
    compliant
    disposed or willing to comply
    submissive
    inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination
    good
    having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
    manageable
    capable of being managed or controlled
    acquiescent, biddable
    willing to carry out the orders or wishes of another without protest
    conformable
    quick to comply
    duteous, dutiful
    willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect
    Y2K compliant
    prepared to accurately process date and time data between and into the 20th and 21st centuries
    docile
    willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
    manipulable, tractable
    easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
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    Antonyms:
    disobedient
    not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority
    incorrigible
    impervious to correction by punishment
    defiant, noncompliant
    boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    bad
    having undesirable or negative qualities
    difficult, unmanageable
    hard to control
    contrary, obstinate, perverse, wayward
    resistant to guidance or discipline
    fractious, recalcitrant, refractory
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
    froward, headstrong, self-willed, wilful, willful
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
    recusant
    refusing to submit to authority
    obstinate, stubborn, unregenerate
    tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
    intractable
    not tractable; difficult to manage or mold
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘obedient'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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