as in rebellion
refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something
In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 civil disobedience
People are protesting in freezing conditions and committing civil disobedience, getting arrested.
—
Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
That summer, 1960, Jackson came home and led a sit-in at the library, his arrest a first taste of civil disobedience.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Every year many Christians are arrested and imprisoned under torturous conditions for practicing their right to religious freedom, where a simple act like praying together in house-churches seems like an act of civil disobedience.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
All 13 people arrested were given a summons for civil disobedience and released from custody.
—Doug Williams, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
That summer, 1960, Jackson came home and led a sit-in at the library, his arrest a first taste of civil disobedience.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Every year many Christians are arrested and imprisoned under torturous conditions for practicing their right to religious freedom, where a simple act like praying together in house-churches seems like an act of civil disobedience.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
All 13 people arrested were given a summons for civil disobedience and released from custody.
—Doug Williams, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
-
What was expected to be a quick vote turned into an hourslong saga as some House Republicans launched a rebellion over an issue with an unrelated farm bill.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The leader of the rebellion chatted with young kids carrying Princess Leia dolls and wearing Boba Fett masks.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There was elegant defiance this week as Pat Riley in an opening statement answered the question before it could be asked at his annual season-ending media session.—
Greg Cote
April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Forced into an uneasy alliance with a sharp-witted poacher living on the margins of society (Kellyman), the two women fight back, turning their powerlessness into strength through violence, wit, and defiance.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In accordance with the county’s noncooperation policy, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the county’s jail, did not honor a 2023 federal detention request to hold Jalloh in pretrial detention until ICE could assume custody.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Boycotts are a form of mass noncooperation that enables more people to resist without taking time off from work, engaging in confrontation or risking arrest.—
David Cortright,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
