CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

civil disobedience

noun

as in rebellion

refusal to obey laws as a way of forcing the government to do or change something In an act of civil disobedience, the family sent its tax money to an antiwar organization. A student organization is encouraging civil disobedience as a way to get the university to change its policies.

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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 civil disobedience Acts of civil disobedience, including a March 31 incident at the Kansas Statehouse, have so far resulted in no arrests or charges. — Ian Cummings, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026 The United States is now witnessing the unraveling of nearly a century of organizing, civil disobedience and personal sacrifice by ordinary people who helped build Black political power to heights unseen since Reconstruction. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026 The United States is now witnessing the unraveling of nearly a century of organizing, civil disobedience and personal sacrifice by ordinary people who helped build Black political power to heights unseen since Reconstruction. — ABC News, 2 May 2026 We were fascinated by a broader trend — covered locally by the Chicago Sun-Times and nationally by outlets including CNBC and The New York Times — of people turning the humble 1040 into a form of civil disobedience. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience

Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience

Noun

Amid a rebellion over the SAVE Act, Johnson lost control of the House floor for a second time this week, sending lawmakers home early for the July Fourth recess.

— Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 July 2026
These battles have completely receded from the American imagination, even though, in some ways, the American rebellion was a sideshow to a far greater imperial drama.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026

Definition of rebellion

Noun

His clippings included reporting on Black students facing higher rates of suspension for willful defiance and a cover story on Oak Park residents who offered a history of the neighborhood.

— Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026
One defendant convicted by a jury continues to engage in noisy defiance.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2026

Definition of defiance

Noun

In accordance with the county’s noncooperation policy, the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the county’s jail, did not honor a 2023 federal detention request to hold Jalloh in pretrial detention until ICE could assume custody.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
Boycotts are a form of mass noncooperation that enables more people to resist without taking time off from work, engaging in confrontation or risking arrest.

— David Cortright, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026

Definition of noncooperation

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civil courts

civil disobedience

civilian

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“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of civil disobedience

noun

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