Definitions and Examples of disobey, violate, break
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Refuse to comply with an authority's orders or rules.
Example
He chose to disobey his parents' curfew and stayed out late with his friends.
Fail to comply with a law, rule, or agreement; infringe or breach.
Example
The company was fined for violating environmental regulations by dumping toxic waste into the river.
Fail to observe or keep a promise, agreement, or law.
Example
She was arrested for breaking into her ex-boyfriend's house and stealing his laptop.
Key Differences: disobey vs violate vs break
- 1Disobey implies a deliberate refusal to follow orders or rules.
- 2Violate suggests a more serious offense that involves breaking a law or agreement.
- 3Break is a general term that can refer to violating any kind of promise, agreement, or law.
Effective Usage of disobey, violate, break
- 1Legal Context: Use violate to describe breaking a law or agreement.
- 2Parenting: Use disobey to describe children who refuse to follow their parents' rules.
- 3Everyday Language: Use break to describe any kind of violation or failure to keep a promise or agreement.
Remember this!
The antonyms of abided are disobey, violate, and break. Use disobey to describe a deliberate refusal to follow orders or rules, violate to describe breaking a law or agreement, and break to describe any kind of violation or failure to keep a promise or agreement.