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
This escalated the backlash against the Navy’s presence on the island, prompting massive protests, acts of civil disobedience, and encampments.
—
Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
In practice, that means some borrowers working at nonprofits focused on immigration rights, civil disobedience advocacy, climate action, or other causes could find their employment disqualified from PSLF.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
So are acts of peaceful civil disobedience.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025
In a surprising number of cases, organizers defeated polluters through a combination of litigation, civil disobedience and other protests, and by pressuring banks, insurers and big investors.
—Kevin A. Young, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Juan J. Arroyo, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
In practice, that means some borrowers working at nonprofits focused on immigration rights, civil disobedience advocacy, climate action, or other causes could find their employment disqualified from PSLF.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
So are acts of peaceful civil disobedience.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025
In a surprising number of cases, organizers defeated polluters through a combination of litigation, civil disobedience and other protests, and by pressuring banks, insurers and big investors.
—Kevin A. Young, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for civil disobedience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for civil disobedience
Noun
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For years, Bitcoin stood as a symbol of rebellion—a decentralized answer to central banks, inflationary currencies, and overreaching governments.—
Max (Chong) Li,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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What may have seemed like a lighthearted act of rebellion struck a chord with many disillusioned job seekers, fed up with outdated hiring practices and a job market increasingly filtered through artificial intelligence.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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His passing closes a chapter on one of the most notorious sagas in internet history, leaving behind a complex legacy of entrepreneurship, controversy, and defiance.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2025
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And yet, the core of the brand—the audacity, the punk defiance, the challenge to authority—remains intact.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Each campus should follow state law and guidelines regarding noncooperation with ICE and/or other federal entities.—
Isidro Ortiz,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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In addition, state-level politicians, including attorneys general and governors, have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to challenge federal overreach through litigation and noncooperation.—
Victor Menaldo,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Civil disobedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/civil%20disobedience. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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