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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Recent Examples of civil disobedience
Those protests would culminate in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience.
—
Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
This school year, Berkeley struggled with how to handle civil disobedience over the Israel-Hamas war.
—Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 6 June 2024
In recent months, several colleges have disciplined pro-Palestinian activists for ordinary speech acts and mobilized force against their acts of civil disobedience.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
Nonviolent civil disobedience, throughout American history, has demonstrably been the most effective tool through which minds are changed.
—Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil disobedience 
Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024
This school year, Berkeley struggled with how to handle civil disobedience over the Israel-Hamas war.
—Kurt Streeter, New York Times, 6 June 2024
In recent months, several colleges have disciplined pro-Palestinian activists for ordinary speech acts and mobilized force against their acts of civil disobedience.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
Nonviolent civil disobedience, throughout American history, has demonstrably been the most effective tool through which minds are changed.
—Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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The resignation of one of his most loyal allies blindsided Trudeau and sparked a caucus rebellion.—
Amanda Coletta The Washington Post,
arkansasonline.com,
7 Jan. 2025
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After their victories on the battlefield, American forces prevented a Filipino rebellion through psychological warfare, infiltration, surveillance, torture, extrajudicial executions, and the formation of native militias tasked with suppressing dissent.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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City voters passed the ordinance in defiance of the state, and out of concern that there are insufficient safeguards to prevent fraudulent voting.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
15 Jan. 2025
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But that sense of defiance goes hand-in-hand with a sense of neediness in Warren’s driven world.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The law was implemented in 2018 and effectively legalized noncooperation between state law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials.—
Greg Wehner,
Fox News,
18 Nov. 2024
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Women have also developed other forms of gendered noncooperation that can benefit mass movements.—
Erica Chenoweth,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Feb. 2022
Thesaurus Entries Near civil disobedience
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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