OBEYING Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

obeying

verb

present participle of obey

as in following

to act according to the commands of she taught her dog to obey her when she said "Sit!" most people obey the law and wear their seat belts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of obeying People are riding e-bikes and e-motorcycles, sometimes riding recklessly, traveling at high speeds, or not obeying the rules of the road. — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 The department reminds motorists to drive cautiously through the area, obeying posted speed limit and road work signage. — Isabelle Foland, Des Moines Register, 19 July 2026 For years, Alabama had balked at obeying a series of orders, including from the Supreme Court itself, to insure that its Black voters have a voice in how they are governed. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 In 2013, Southern Stars players were blackmailed into obeying instructions by having their salaries withheld. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 4 June 2026 Yes, no one deserves to be cheated on, and Kyle could have been better about obeying the rules, but four years? — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026 The tradition of Georgia football players not obeying traffic laws is alive and well in 2026 thanks to safety Ja'Marley Riddle, who was arrested last week on speeding and felony possession charges. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026 Dupree confided in Firecracker about how his church was destroyed by one of Homelander's obeying supes and asked for her help in rebuilding. — Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 Footage from the scene shows the group obeying police instructions when a plain clothes officer grabbed Salman’s hand, twisting it and causing a fracture in her wrist. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeying

Verb

Encouraged by his son, Michael, Storch held talks over becoming a minority shareholder at Reading alongside fellow American Rob Couhig, before believing a full takeover of Cardiff City was possible following their relegation to League One.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
With King's termination, two Brinker employees have now been fired following the allegations involving Campbell.

— Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of following

Verb

The Heritage Foundation’s Yenor dismisses the notion that elite sports pose any threat to male fertility, observing to SciAm that, since 1990, Super Bowl–winning quarterbacks have had a higher than average number of children.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
To lessen any confusion, here’s everything a beginner needs to know about observing the night sky with a manual telescope, and a glossary of telescope terms.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of observing

Browse Nearby Words

obeyed

obeying

obeys

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Obeying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeying. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of obeying

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on obeying

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

rigmarole

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes