obey

obey — verb

1. to do what a person in charge tells you to do, or to act in line with a rule, la

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to do what a person in charge tells you to do, or to act in line with a rule, law, sign, or written instruction.

Example

Soldiers must obey their commanding officer, even when the order seems harsh.

obey + [person in authority]

Drivers in Taipei have to obey the speed limit on every street.

obey + [rule/law]

Common collocations
  • obey orders
  • obey the law
  • obey commands
  • obey blindly
  • refuse to obey
Synonyms
  • follow

    softer; works for advice or instructions, not just commands

  • comply with

    more formal; usually paired with rules, requests, or regulations

  • abide by

    formal; almost always with laws, rules, or agreements

Antonyms
  • disobey

    direct opposite — refuse to follow

  • defy

    stronger; openly refuse and challenge authority

Grammar Patterns

obey + person

obey + rule/law/order

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person, animal, or group; object is either the authority figure (parent, officer, judge) or the rule/order itself. Used intransitively when the obeyed party is clear from context.

Common Mistakes

You must obey to your parents.
You must obey your parents.
'obey' is transitive in English; no preposition before the person.
The dog obeyed at the trainer.
The dog obeyed the trainer.
direct object only, no 'at' or 'with'.

2. of an object or natural system, to act in the way described by a scientific rule

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

of an object or natural system, to act in the way described by a scientific rule or principle.

Example

A falling apple obeys the law of gravity, no matter how high it starts.

[natural object] + obey + [scientific law]

Light obeys very strict rules when it passes through a glass prism.

Common collocations
  • obey the law of gravity
  • obey physical laws
  • obey the principle
Synonyms
  • follow

    common alternative; less formal in scientific writing

  • conform to

    more academic; emphasises matching a stated pattern

Antonyms
  • violate

    used when something appears to break a known law

Grammar Patterns

[object/system] + obey + [law/principle]

Usage Note

Subject is typically an inanimate object, force, or system (light, gas, particle, wave); object is a named scientific principle. Distinguish from sense 1: no authority figure is involved, only physical regularity.

Common Mistakes

The water obeys to the law of pressure.
The water obeys the law of pressure.
direct object, no 'to'.

3. if a body part will not obey its owner, it fails to move or perform as that pers

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

if a body part will not obey its owner, it fails to move or perform as that person wants — usually because of injury, illness, or strong emotion.

Example

After the stroke, Mr. Lin's left hand simply would not obey him.

frequently negated; body part as subject

Her legs refused to obey her as she tried to run from the burning house.

[body part] + refuse to obey + [person]

Common collocations
  • body refuses to obey
  • legs would not obey
  • fingers no longer obey
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

[body part] + (not) + obey + [person]

frequently negated

Usage Note

Almost always negative or limited (would not, refused to, no longer). Subject is a body part (hand, legs, voice, fingers); object is the person who owns that body part. Distinguish from sense 1: the failure is physical, not a choice to disobey.

Common Mistakes

My hands don't obey for me.
My hands won't obey me.
direct object, no 'for'; usually negative with 'won't' or 'wouldn't'.

Word family

  • obedient
    adjectiveB2
  • obedience
    nounB2
  • obediently
    adverbC1
  • disobey
    verbB2
  • disobedient
    adjectiveB2
  • disobedience
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe acting in line with a rule or instruction, but the speaker's stance differs. 'Obey' is the strongest and assumes a clear authority — a parent, officer, or law — and a duty to act on what they say. 'Follow' is the most neutral and casual: you can follow advice, a recipe, or a sign without any sense of being commanded. 'Comply with' is formal and almost bureaucratic; it pairs naturally with regulations, requests, or court orders, and often appears in written notices. 'Abide by' is also formal but stresses long-term respect for an agreement, such as a treaty or the rules of a club. Compare: a child obeys her teacher, a tourist follows the map, a company complies with tax rules, and members abide by the constitution.

obeyfollowcomply withabide by

Common collocations

Nouns

  • orders
  • commands
  • rules
  • the law
  • instructions
  • authority
  • principle

Adverbs

  • blindly
  • willingly
  • instantly
  • reluctantly
  • strictly

Phrases

  • refuse to obey
  • fail to obey
  • have no choice but to obey

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Obey' entered English in the 1200s through Old French 'obeir', which itself came from Latin 'oboedire'. The Latin word is built from 'ob-' meaning 'toward' and 'audire' meaning 'to listen', so the original idea was literally 'to listen toward someone' — to give your attention to a speaker and act on what they say. That sense of attentive listening is still felt today when we obey a parent, a teacher, or a sign on the road.