The dictator enforced obeisance on the people.
Source: tatoeba (44660)
Obeisance
/əˈbiː.səns/
Synonyms for "obeisance" (108 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (22)
acceptanceacquiescenceallegianceapple polishingapple-polishingass-kissingassentback scratchingbackscratchingbendbending the kneebobbootlickingbowbowing and scrapingbrown-nosingcomplaisancecomplianceconsentcringing
Strong matches (32)
Noun(11 words)
Verb(1 words)
Related words (54)
Noun(10 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: bow, acceptance, acquiescence, allegiance, apple polishing.
- Sentence evidence is available for obeisance, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, 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 "obeisance".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "obeisance"
Keep "obeisance" 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 "obeisance" 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 "obeisance", 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 "obeisance" 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
6 entriesMore specific
3 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdeep obeisancemake obeisanceoffer obeisancepay obeisanceperform obeisanceshow obeisance
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriesSample sentences
7 total sentences available.
The only business of the head in the world is to bow a ceaseless obeisance to the heart.
Source: tatoeba (709418)
And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health; he is yet living. And bowing themselves, they made obeisance to him.
Source: tatoeba (7894928)
And the protesters across the globe appear to be combining smartly offline and online tools, copying each other, even street opponents, feeding on a new era of anger, in which losers even in countries that hold fair elections are not prepared to accept the results and winners demand all too often total obeisance from those vanquished at the polls.
Source: tatoeba (11972664)
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "obeisance"?
Closest matches include bow, acceptance, acquiescence, allegiance, apple polishing.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "obeisance"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.