disobeyed

Disobeyed is the past tense and past participle of disobey, a verb meaning to refuse or fail to obey a rule, instruction, or authority. To disobey an order is to choose not to follow it, often despite expectation of compliance or penalties.

Usage: The word can describe acts by individuals or groups who choose noncompliance. It may carry moral, legal, or political implications depending on context. In reporting, disobeyed signals noncompliance with an authority figure, policy, or law. In literature, it may reflect themes of autonomy, rebellion, or dissent.

Etymology and grammar: Disobey is formed from the prefix dis- meaning not and the verb obey, which derives from Old French obéir and Latin obedīre. The regular past tense is disobeyed; the present participle is disobeying; the noun form disobedience describes the broader condition or practice of not obeying.

See also: civil disobedience, obedience, defiance, noncompliance.