What does disobey mean?
Disobey is a verb meaning to refuse or fail to obey a command, rule, law, or person in authority. It applies both to interpersonal situations — a soldier disobeying an order, a child disobeying a parent — and to institutional ones, such as a driver disobeying traffic laws. The word carries a negative charge in most everyday contexts, implying willful defiance of legitimate authority, though it can take on positive connotations in discussions of conscience and protest: figures celebrated for civil disobedience are honored precisely because they chose to disobey unjust laws. Disobey is formed by adding the negative prefix dis- to the older verb obey, which itself traces back through Old French obeir to the Latin oboedire, meaning to listen to or heed someone. Its derivatives include disobedience, disobedient, and disobeyer. Common collocations include disobey an order and be punished for disobeying.
verbTo refuse to obey a rule, law, order, or person in authority.
- To refuse to follow a command from a person in authority.
- To fail to comply with a law, rule, or regulation.
"The soldiers were court-martialed for disobeying a direct order."
"He was dismissed for repeatedly disobeying his supervisor's instructions."
"Motorists who disobey traffic signals risk serious penalties."
Every act of civil disobedience — from Thoreau to Gandhi to Rosa Parks — begins with this one small verb: disobey.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of disobey
Disobey was formed in English in the early 17th century by adding the Latin-derived negative prefix dis- ('apart, away') to obey. Obey itself came into Middle English from Old French obeir, ultimately from the Latin verb oboedire, literally 'to listen toward' someone, hence to heed or submit to them. This same Latin root gives English obedience and obedient, and more distantly connects to audire ('to hear'), the source of words like audience and audible.
Related word forms
How disobey is actually used
Disobey is neutral to slightly formal in register and typically carries a negative connotation when used of children or subordinates, but it can also carry positive connotations in contexts of moral courage or principled resistance. It takes a direct object (an order, a rule) or can be used absolutely. The noun 'disobedience' is especially associated with the phrase 'civil disobedience.'
Easily confused with disobey
Defy implies open, often bold resistance to authority, while disobey simply means failing or refusing to follow a specific rule or command.