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
Graffitiing the church over its support of the state of Israel is not civil disobedience, Whelchel said.
—
Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
In what circumstances could civil disobedience ever be justified if not now?
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
With every new wave of protest, every strike, and every act of civil disobedience, the regime's response is not reform, but repression.
—Tom Ridge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
That act of civil disobedience led to her disbarment, said her brother, Steve Ward of St. Paul’s East Side.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
In what circumstances could civil disobedience ever be justified if not now?
—Dan Sheehan, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
With every new wave of protest, every strike, and every act of civil disobedience, the regime's response is not reform, but repression.
—Tom Ridge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
That act of civil disobedience led to her disbarment, said her brother, Steve Ward of St. Paul’s East Side.
—Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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Readers meet Anne, who walks out of Eden not out of rebellion but love.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces rebellion from right-wing ministers who want to block a path to Palestinian statehood and annex the West Bank.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Here, in two very different settings, its mix of exultation, defiance and acknowledgment of the very real possibility of defeat could not be more apt.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Barca team also participated — in defiance of their own club hierarchy — by pausing during the first 15 seconds of their match at home to Girona the previous day.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While declarations have been made in the past regarding our city having a sanctuary status, there have been no clear directives toward local law enforcement regarding noncooperation with federal agencies such as ICE.—
Scott Wartman,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
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These movements used many different tools at their disposal — lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, work slowdowns, boycotts and other forms of noncooperation and resistance.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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