obedient

[oh-bee-dee-uhnt] / oʊˈbi di ənt /

ADJECTIVE

well-behaved; submissive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

attentive compliant deferential devoted docile dutiful faithful law-abiding loyal respectful subservient

WEAK

acquiescent amenable at one's beck and call biddable complaisant controllable docious duteous governable honoring in one's clutches in one's pocket in one's power obeisant obliging observant on a string pliant regardful resigned reverential sheeplike tame tractable under control venerating well-trained willing wrapped around finger yielding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

disloyal disobedient inconsiderate inconstant neglectful unfaithful

WEAK

contrary insolent misbehaving mutinous obstinate rebellious

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.

In 1977, after the release of the album Zombie, which satirised government soldiers as obedient, brainless enforcers, his compound in the main city, Lagos, was raided.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

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

Fittingly, Pattinson hunches his shoulders and curls his upper lip: an obedient lab rat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2025

When we wanted a dog to help us care for sheep, we selected breeds that were intelligent, obedient and had some preexisting talent to herd, which is useful for animals who hunt in packs.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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