Skip to main content
to disobey

to disobey

126 3.7
To refuse to follow rules or orders from someone in charge
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ/
translation icon : desobedecer
  • She was told not to disobey her parents' wishes, but she felt strongly about her decision.
  • disobey orders
  • disobey the rules
  • disobey the law

And you can find me disobeying the law.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

to violate
vsto disobey
627 4.4

Break a law, rule, agreement, or promise

is focused on failing to follow orders from authority rather than legal rules
to resist
vsto disobey
311 2.2

Act against authority, rules or change

is simpler failure to follow orders rather than broad opposition or struggle
to defy
vsto disobey
178 3.7

Openly refuse to obey someone or seem to resist a force like time

is refusal to follow rules or orders without necessarily challenging authority
to flout
vsto disobey
12 7.9

To openly disobey a rule or law to show you do not respect it

is refusal to follow orders but without the clear contempt or show
to contravene
vsto disobey
  • Formal
2 8.2

To break a law, rule, or agreement

is refusal or failure to follow orders rather than formal regulatory breach
to infract
vsto disobey
  • Archaic
9.9

To break a law, rule, contract, or promise

is about failing to follow orders from authority more than legal technical breaches

Antonyms

411 1.0

Do what someone in charge tells you or follow a rule

How Disobedient

to rebel
48 4.1
to defy
178 3.7
to flout
12 7.9
to disobey
126 3.7
to ignore
1.0

Surface Forms

disobey infinitive
disobeyed past
disobeyed past participle
disobeying present participle
disobeys third person singular

Morphology

disobey = obey (transparent) = dis + obey

This is a standard negative/reversive prefixation from 'obey', and the meaning 'not obey' is readily inferable.

Etymology

The word disobey is made of dis- meaning 'not' and obey meaning 'to listen to or follow orders'. So, to disobey is to 'not listen' or to refuse to follow rules or an order.