obeyverb
uk/əʊˈbeɪ//əˈbeɪ/us/oʊˈbeɪ/B2 [ I or T ] to act according to what you have been asked or ordered to do by someone in authority, or to behave according to a rule, law, or instruction:
The soldiers refused to obey (orders).
to obey the rules of international law
See also
obedient
[ T ] to behave according to a scientific principle:
Falling objects obey the law of gravity.
[ T ] If your body or part of your body does not obey you, it does not work in the way it should:
She was so tired her legs just wouldn't obey her any longer.
More examples
- He hated being in the army because he had to obey commands.
- With careful training, a dog will obey its master completely.
- The role of the police is to ensure that the law is obeyed.
- Have you been obeying the rules?
- He was disciplined for failing to obey orders.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Obeying & breaking the law
- abide
- adhere
- afoul
- bend the law/rules idiom
- breach
- break
- breaker
- clean
- clean up your act idiom
- commit
- compliant
- conform
- contravene
- disobey
- hold
- observe
- perpetrate
- respect
- venal
- violate
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Inability and awkwardness