civil disobedience

noun
UK: /ˌsɪvl̩ dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/
US: /ˌsɪvl̩ dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/

  1. The refusal to obey laws as a way of protesting against the government.

    1. They used civil disobedience to fight for their rights.
    2. His act of civil disobedience brought attention to the unjust law.

  2. The act of openly disobeying a law believed to be unjust, typically as a form of nonviolent protest.

    1. Civil disobedience is a tool for social change.
    2. Participants engaged in civil disobedience to challenge segregation.

Synonyms

passive resistance noncooperation

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "civil disobedience" in English means: The refusal to obey laws as a way of protesting against the government., The act of openly disobeying a law believed to be unjust, typically as a form of nonviolent protest..

The phonetic transcription of "civil disobedience" is /ˌsɪvl̩ dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/ in British English and /ˌsɪvl̩ dɪsəˈbiːdiəns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "civil disobedience": passive resistance, noncooperation.

Example usage of "civil disobedience": "They used civil disobedience to fight for their rights.". More examples on the page.