as in homage
a show of respect or acknowledgement of the authority or importance of another
They made obeisance before the king and queen. She earned herself some political enemies when she failed to make the proper obeisance to those in power.
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 obeisance
After a decade of seemingly supine obeisance, there is no obvious reason why the military leadership would suddenly rouse itself to oppose Xi.
—
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Visitors who fail to perform the requisite display of obeisance have faced consequences, as in the Feb. 28 blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Massimo Calabresi, Time, 24 July 2025
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.
—Max Taves, Mercury News, 11 July 2025
In the first case, Obama was accused of showing obeisance to a foreign ruler and Islam.
—Brendan Cole
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obeisance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeisance
Noun
-
The Maroon name refers to one of the school’s colors and is a homage to the University of Chicago, which goes by the same name, according to local historians.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Multiple menu items are homages to signature dishes at his other restaurants.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Though an unabashedly liberal Democrat, Hart commanded respect from lawmakers of both parties for his intellect, decency and grit.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Her growing respect and affection for Valerie has been one of the season’s bright spots, particularly with Mickey gone.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The federation also cited a photo appearing to show a member of the campus chapter throwing a Heil Hitler salute.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Anyone who has jumped out of a plane with a parachute deserves respect, but to do it 36 times, that’s worthy of a salute.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hunt and his director, Ashley Rodbro, build in some visual variety, whether that means screening one of Hunt’s public access sketches, cringy, or a digression into a lighting design demo, a nod to Hunt’s Illinois State degree in lighting design (and acting).—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There is also a clear nod to art collectors, with expansive walls and a gallery-style entry sequence.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Julia Fox looks gorgeous in a floor-length turquoise gown with bows for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation New York Dinner in New York City on April 21.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of bearing fishing poles, most have Soviet-era heavy machine guns bolted to their bows with a small rocket launcher atop.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While many of the building’s original features—including the soaring stucco ceilings decorated with a sun motif - have been preserved, the look and feel are more 21st-century magpie than slavish historical reverence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Rotterdam is what happens when a city in the midst of transformation adapts to change without losing any reverence for its former selves.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But for Coles, his indoctrination to law enforcement has been a different level of submissiveness.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
-
In Killers of the Flower Moon, his Ernest Burkhart starts off as a mopey, weak-minded World War One veteran, eager to do anything for his godfather uncle (Robert De Niro), but there’s still a certain likability to his dim-bulb submissiveness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obeisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeisance. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
