civil disobedience: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Political
Quick answer
What does “civil disobedience” mean?
The refusal to obey certain laws, demands, or commands of a government as a peaceful form of political protest.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The refusal to obey certain laws, demands, or commands of a government as a peaceful form of political protest.
A public, non-violent, and conscientious act of law-breaking undertaken to draw attention to an injustice or to advocate for political or social change, often with willingness to accept legal penalty.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The concept is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly positive connotations in contexts of social justice movements; negative connotations when used by critics to imply illegitimacy or chaos.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to historical prominence in US civil rights discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “civil disobedience” in a Sentence
[Subject] engaged in civil disobedience against [Authority/Target]A campaign of civil disobedience was launched.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “civil disobedience” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The group decided to civilly disobey the new regulation.
- They are civilly disobeying the parking charges.
American English
- The activists planned to civilly disobey the ordinance.
- Protesters are civilly disobeying the pipeline construction.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions of corporate ethics or stakeholder protests.
Academic
Common in Political Science, History, Philosophy, and Sociology texts.
Everyday
Used in news discussions about protests and social movements.
Technical
Used as a specific term in political theory and legal philosophy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “civil disobedience”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “civil disobedience”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “civil disobedience”
- Using it to describe any illegal act or violent protest. Confusing it with 'riot' or 'rebellion'.
- Misspelling as 'civil disobediance'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, by its standard definition. If violence is used, it typically falls under terms like 'riot', 'insurrection', or 'rebellion'.
Henry David Thoreau wrote the influential essay 'Civil Disobedience' (1849). Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. later developed and practiced the philosophy.
All civil disobedience is a form of protest, but not all protests involve civil disobedience. Civil disobedience specifically involves breaking a law or order considered unjust, while a protest can be a legal demonstration.
Yes, that is its defining feature—it is a deliberate, public breach of law. The key distinction is the protester's willingness to be arrested to highlight the injustice.
The refusal to obey certain laws, demands, or commands of a government as a peaceful form of political protest.
Civil disobedience is usually formal, academic, political in register.
Civil disobedience: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪv.əl dɪs.əˈbiː.di.əns/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪv.əl dɪs.əˈbiː.di.əns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To take a leaf out of Gandhi's book (and engage in civil disobedience)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CIVIL = polite/public; DISobedience = not obeying. Polite rule-breaking for a cause.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROTEST IS A CONSCIENTIOUS BREAKING OF CHAINS.
Practice
Quiz
What is a CRITICAL component of civil disobedience?