Do you disobey me?
Source: tatoeba (69319)
Disobey
/ˌdɪs.əˈbeɪ/
Synonyms for "disobey" (85 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (17)
Verb(9 words)
Noun(3 words)
Strong matches (26)
Verb(12 words)
Noun(8 words)
disregard of datadisrespectfloutingignore requestignore rulesignore the noiseignore the warningignoring instructions
Adjective(1 words)
intentional disregard
Related words (42)
Verb(11 words)
misbehavemisbehavesmisbehavingrebelrefuserefuse to complyrefuse to obeytransgressedtransgressesunmindviolate
mutinynot conformnot heednot keepnot listennot mindnot observeopposeoversteppay no attention torebelrefuse to cooperateresistrevoltscoff atset at defianceset at naughtset naught bystriketransgress
Show 1 more word
Adjective(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: disregard, act against, balk, breach, breaches.
- Sentence evidence is available for disobey, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "disobey".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "disobey"
Keep "disobey" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "disobey" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "disobey", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "disobey" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriesMore specific
4 entriesdisobey a direct orderdisobey a ruledisobey a rule publiclydisobey an order
Collocations
6 entriesdisobey a ruledisobey an orderdisobey authoritydisobey school rulesdisobey the lawwillfully disobey
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesTranslations
54 translations across 25 languages.
Ancient Greek
4 entries- παρακούω verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- παρακούω verb (to refuse to obey)
- ἀνηκουστέω verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- ἀνηκουστέω verb (to refuse to obey)
Arabic
2 entries- عَصَى verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- عَصَى verb (to refuse to obey)
Belarusian
3 entries- не падпарадкавацца verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- не паслухацца verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- не паслухаць verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Bulgarian
1 entries- не се подчинявам verb (to refuse to obey)
Catalan
1 entries- desobeir verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Danish
2 entries- nægte verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- nægte verb (to refuse to obey)
Dutch
1 entries- niet gehoorzamen verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Esperanto
1 entries- malobei verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Finnish
2 entries- kieltäytyä tottelemasta verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- olla tottelematon verb (to refuse to obey)
French
2 entries- désobéir verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- désobéir verb (to refuse to obey)
German
2 entries- missachten verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- nicht gehorchen verb (to refuse to obey)
Greek
4 entries- απειθώ verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- απειθώ verb (to refuse to obey)
- παρακούω verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- παρακούω verb (to refuse to obey)
Haitian Creole
1 entries- dezobeyi verb (to refuse to obey)
Hungarian
1 entries- engedetlenkedik verb (to refuse to obey)
Italian
1 entries- disubbidire verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Latin
1 entries- inoboedio verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Lithuanian
1 entries- nepaklusti verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Māori
4 entries- takahi verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- tīhoihoi verb (to refuse to obey)
- whakahoihoi verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- whakatīhoihoi verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Oromo
1 entries- diduu verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Polish
4 entries- być nieposłusznym verb (to refuse to obey)
- lekceważyć verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- nie słuchać się verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- nie słuchać się verb (to refuse to obey)
Portuguese
2 entries- desacatar verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- desobedecer verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Quechua
1 entries- llamkay verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Scottish Gaelic
3 entries- eas-ùmhlaich verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- eas-ùmhlaich verb (to refuse to obey)
- rach an aghaidh verb (to refuse to obey an order)
Spanish
4 entries- desacatar verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- desobedecer verb (to refuse to obey an order)
- desobedecer verb (to refuse to obey)
- indisciplinarse verb (to refuse to obey)
Swahili
1 entries- kuasi verb (to refuse to obey)
Sample sentences
13 total sentences available.
Tom didn't have the courage to disobey Mary.
Source: tatoeba (1029325)
Do not disobey the rules.
Source: tatoeba (1260984)
We wouldn't want to disobey the teacher, would we?
Source: tatoeba (2033956)
Showing 4 of 13 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "disobey"?
Closest matches include disregard, act against, balk, breach, breaches.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "disobey"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.