Disobey
verb
Not following rules or instructions.
The soldiers were punished for disobeying direct orders.
Often appears as...
- disobey an order
- disobey a command
verb
Not obeying or following commands or laws.
If you disobey the traffic rules, you will be fined.
Often appears as...
- disobey traffic rules
- disobey the law
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
Not following rules or instructions.
The soldiers were punished for disobeying direct orders.
Often appears as...
- disobey an order
- disobey a command
verb
Not obeying or following commands or laws.
If you disobey the traffic rules, you will be fined.
Often appears as...
- disobey traffic rules
- disobey the law
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Context Importance
Understand if 'disobey' implies minor rule-breaking or a serious offence by assessing context.
He was scolded for disobeying dinner etiquette, a minor misstep.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Disobey' can express disapproval or disappointment, especially from authority figures.
His mother was heartbroken when he disobeyed her wishes.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Challenge
Using 'disobey' suggests a challenge to someone's authority, not just failure to comply.
The employee disobeyed the manager's direct command.
Pro Tip 1/3Context Importance
Understand if 'disobey' implies minor rule-breaking or a serious offence by assessing context.
He was scolded for disobeying dinner etiquette, a minor misstep.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Disobey' can express disapproval or disappointment, especially from authority figures.
His mother was heartbroken when he disobeyed her wishes.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Challenge
Using 'disobey' suggests a challenge to someone's authority, not just failure to comply.
The employee disobeyed the manager's direct command.
Pro Tip 1/3Context Importance
Understand if 'disobey' implies minor rule-breaking or a serious offence by assessing context.
He was scolded for disobeying dinner etiquette, a minor misstep.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
'Disobey' can express disapproval or disappointment, especially from authority figures.
His mother was heartbroken when he disobeyed her wishes.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Challenge
Using 'disobey' suggests a challenge to someone's authority, not just failure to comply.
The employee disobeyed the manager's direct command.
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Video examples
Ryan Lobo: Photographing...
Senegalese, the young man seated on the wheelchair here, was once a child soldier, under the General's command, until he disobeyed orders, and the General shot off both his legs. He forgives the General in this image. He risked his life as he walked up to people
Video examples
Bertrand Piccard's...
quite low, and very slow. And when we calculated we thought we're never going to make it around the world at that speed. So, we disobeyed. We flew much higher, and double the speed. And I was so proud to have found that jetstream that I called the weather man,
Video examples
Queens of the High Seas...
work but john yisao realized that it is important imperative to actually like make it more formal and organized so so in in in so doing she established a set of law codes which were extremely severe for example if you disobey the command of your supervisor
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
It tells me something else. If you remember, God's favorite angel was Lucifer. Apparently, Lucifer means "the light." It also means "the morning star," in some scripture. And apparently, he disobeyed God, and that's the ultimate disobedience to authority.
Video examples
The creative power of...
Ben fueled these advances with the same strategies we saw at Pixar. His first step was to recruit black sheep. Many of them had been disciplined for insubordination, like one guy who was fired from a nuclear submarine for disobeying an order.
Video examples
What it was like to grow...
It was everywhere around myself when I grew up. It was printed on matches, playing cards, textbooks, posters. The propaganda praising the one-child policy was everywhere around us. And so were the threats against disobeying it.
Video examples
What moral decisions...
the three laws of robotics. A robot may not harm a human being, a robot may not disobey a human being, and a robot may not allow itself to come to harm -- in this order of importance. But after 40 years or so
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
a modern education at first he disobeyed the spirit's commands but over time aza realized the spirit was flirting his plan for his daughter understand why the
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
him through thousands of different spirits and shrines even for a priest it can be dangerous to disobey a spirits wishes
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
can be dangerous to disobey a spirits wishes
Video examples
Ryan Lobo: Photographing...
Senegalese, the young man seated on the wheelchair here, was once a child soldier, under the General's command, until he disobeyed orders, and the General shot off both his legs. He forgives the General in this image. He risked his life as he walked up to people
Video examples
Bertrand Piccard's...
quite low, and very slow. And when we calculated we thought we're never going to make it around the world at that speed. So, we disobeyed. We flew much higher, and double the speed. And I was so proud to have found that jetstream that I called the weather man,
Video examples
Queens of the High Seas...
work but john yisao realized that it is important imperative to actually like make it more formal and organized so so in in in so doing she established a set of law codes which were extremely severe for example if you disobey the command of your supervisor
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
It tells me something else. If you remember, God's favorite angel was Lucifer. Apparently, Lucifer means "the light." It also means "the morning star," in some scripture. And apparently, he disobeyed God, and that's the ultimate disobedience to authority.
Video examples
The creative power of...
Ben fueled these advances with the same strategies we saw at Pixar. His first step was to recruit black sheep. Many of them had been disciplined for insubordination, like one guy who was fired from a nuclear submarine for disobeying an order.
Video examples
What it was like to grow...
It was everywhere around myself when I grew up. It was printed on matches, playing cards, textbooks, posters. The propaganda praising the one-child policy was everywhere around us. And so were the threats against disobeying it.
Video examples
What moral decisions...
the three laws of robotics. A robot may not harm a human being, a robot may not disobey a human being, and a robot may not allow itself to come to harm -- in this order of importance. But after 40 years or so
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
a modern education at first he disobeyed the spirit's commands but over time aza realized the spirit was flirting his plan for his daughter understand why the
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
him through thousands of different spirits and shrines even for a priest it can be dangerous to disobey a spirits wishes
Video examples
Birth of Voodoo PIPE...
can be dangerous to disobey a spirits wishes
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Robert Kennedy
American Politician
Those who challenge the law in one or another of its aspects weaken the whole legal structure of society. For one man to disobey a law he does not like is to invite others to disobey another law which he may regard as indispensable to his own livelihood - or life.
Quote examples
Gary North
Writer
Satan cannot win. Why not? Because he has denied God's sovereignty and disobeyed God's law. But Moses was told explicitly, God's blessings come only from obedience. Satan will not win because he has abandoned God's tool of dominion, biblical law.
Quote examples
Sebastian Lelio
Chilean Director
I'm always trying to get my characters to the point of complete rebelliousness. I like that attitude that characters feel when they own their lives. There's something beautiful in the moments when characters disobey.
Quote examples
Lysander Spooner
American Philosopher
If a jury have not the right to judge between the government and those who disobey its laws, and resist its oppressions, the government is absolute, and the people, legally speaking, are slaves.
Quote examples
Helen Andelin
American Activist
The problems of rebellious youth can be traced to homes where the mother disobeyed the father or showed lack of respect for his authority.
Quote examples
Rachel Weisz
British Actress
I didn't think the teachers had the right to tell me what to do. I would just disobey, talk in the classroom, get very bad grades.
Quote examples
Emily V. Gordon
American Writer
A lot of new stepparents fall into the trap of letting children disobey household expectations in order to gain favor with them.
Quote examples
Daniel D. Palmer
Canadian Celebrity
He who obeys God's laws finds him a father. He who disobeys them, finds him a judge.
Quote examples
Carles Puigdemont
Catalan Politician
I could not disobey the will of the Catalan parliament.
Quote examples
Edith Piaf
French Musician
All I've done all my life is disobey.
Quote examples
Robert Kennedy
American Politician
Those who challenge the law in one or another of its aspects weaken the whole legal structure of society. For one man to disobey a law he does not like is to invite others to disobey another law which he may regard as indispensable to his own livelihood - or life.
Quote examples
Gary North
Writer
Satan cannot win. Why not? Because he has denied God's sovereignty and disobeyed God's law. But Moses was told explicitly, God's blessings come only from obedience. Satan will not win because he has abandoned God's tool of dominion, biblical law.
Quote examples
Sebastian Lelio
Chilean Director
I'm always trying to get my characters to the point of complete rebelliousness. I like that attitude that characters feel when they own their lives. There's something beautiful in the moments when characters disobey.
Quote examples
Lysander Spooner
American Philosopher
If a jury have not the right to judge between the government and those who disobey its laws, and resist its oppressions, the government is absolute, and the people, legally speaking, are slaves.
Quote examples
Helen Andelin
American Activist
The problems of rebellious youth can be traced to homes where the mother disobeyed the father or showed lack of respect for his authority.
Quote examples
Rachel Weisz
British Actress
I didn't think the teachers had the right to tell me what to do. I would just disobey, talk in the classroom, get very bad grades.
Quote examples
Emily V. Gordon
American Writer
A lot of new stepparents fall into the trap of letting children disobey household expectations in order to gain favor with them.
Quote examples
Daniel D. Palmer
Canadian Celebrity
He who obeys God's laws finds him a father. He who disobeys them, finds him a judge.
Quote examples
Carles Puigdemont
Catalan Politician
I could not disobey the will of the Catalan parliament.
Quote examples
Edith Piaf
French Musician
All I've done all my life is disobey.
Example 1 of 10
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