obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another. obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority.

OBEDIENT definition: 1. doing, or willing to do, what you have been told to do by someone in authority: 2. doing, or…. Learn more.

A person or animal who is obedient does what they are told to do. He was very respectful at home and obedient to his parents. What a sweet, obedient little girl she was in the sixth grade.

OBEDIENT definition: obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority. See examples of obedient used in a sentence.

Definition of obedient adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

obedient (əˈbiːdɪənt) adj obeying or willing to obey [C13: from Old French, from Latin oboediens, present participle of oboedīre to obey]

Jan 20, 2026 · Adjective obedient (comparative more obedient, superlative most obedient) Willing to comply with the commands, orders, or instructions of those in authority; biddable.

There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the word obedient, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Definition of obedient. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 o•be•di•ent (ō bē′ dē ənt), adj. obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority: an obedient son.