disobey
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- disobeyer noun
Etymology
Origin of disobey
1350–1400; Middle English disobeien < Old French desobeir, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + obeir to obey
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.
“The constitutional protections in our military structures depend on the idea that there are humans who would, we hope, disobey illegal orders. With fully autonomous weapons we don’t necessarily have those protections.”
From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026
In the meantime, here’s one last, basic fact that appears to be misunderstood: The First Amendment doesn’t give journalists a right to disobey laws.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
He and his representatives are now threatening Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Iran and Greenland, with Venezuela serving as an object lesson of what may happen if a country dares to disobey his wishes.
From Salon • Jan. 6, 2026
“You can’t put on the screen that it’s right for a young girl to disobey her father,” Nava recalled Quintanilla saying.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2025
Unthinkable to disobey the iron voice from the wall.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
