obedience
gb/oʊbˈidiəns/ us/oʊbˈidiəns/
B1
English
~ 3100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
Act of complying with authority
When you do what a person or rule tells you to do.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s obedience to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'obedience' (noun) with 'obedient' (adjective), using one in place of the other. For example, saying 'He has obedient' instead of 'He is obedient.'
Synonyms
compliance (Slightly more formal; often used in legal or business contexts.)
|
submission (Implies yielding to authority, sometimes with a negative connotation of loss of autonomy.)
Antonyms
disobedience (Direct opposite; refusal to follow orders or rules.)
|
defiance (Active resistance against authority or rules.)
Collocations
blind obedience
|strict obedience
|obedience to authority
|teach obedience
|demand obedience
Themes
behavior
|authority
|law
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The soldier's obedience to his commander was unquestionable.
- Children are taught obedience to their parents from a young age.
- Obedience to traffic laws keeps everyone safe.
- Her obedience to the court order prevented further legal trouble.
- The dog's obedience impressed all the trainers.
Learner examples
- The dog shows obedience to its owner.
- The student has obedience to the teacher.
- Obedience to the rules is important.
- He learned obedience from his parents.
Grammar
Dictionary form
obedience
IPA
GB/oʊbˈidiəns/
US/oʊbˈidiəns/
Syllables & stress
obed - i - ence (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (i)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: obedience
- Plural: obedience
Word family
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
blind obedience
1/blˈaɪnd oʊbˈidiəns/
fixed phrase
Obeying without question or thought
Following orders without thinking about whether they are right or wrong.
Examples
- Blind obedience can be dangerous in the wrong hands.
- The cult demanded blind obedience from its members.
in obedience to
1/ˈɪn oʊbˈidiəns tə/
fixed phrase
formal
Doing as ordered or required
Doing something because you were told to or because of a rule.
Examples
- In obedience to her doctor's advice, she stayed in bed for a week.
- The workers acted in obedience to safety regulations.
obedience school
1/oʊbˈidiəns skˈul/
fixed phrase
Training program for pets, especially dogs
A place where animals, usually dogs, are taught to follow commands.
Examples
- They sent their puppy to obedience school.
- Obedience school helped the dog learn basic commands.