Synonyms and antonyms of To fail to obey a rule, law or command in British Thesaurus

cross a line ()

to go beyond accepted limits or standards of behaviour

break (verb)

to fail to obey a rule or law

defy (verb)

to refuse to obey someone or something

disobey (verb)

to deliberately do the opposite of what someone in authority has told you to do, or deliberately not obey a rule

flout (verb)

to deliberately refuse to obey a rule or custom

breach (verb)

formal to break a law, rule, or agreement

contravene (verb)

formal to do something that is not allowed by a rule, law, or agreement

challenge (verb)

to refuse to accept someone’s authority

infringe (verb)

to break a law, rule, or agreement

offend (verb)

formal to break a law or rule, or to do something against your principles

be a law unto yourself ()

to refuse to behave like everyone else, or to believe you can do whatever you want to

beat the system ()

to achieve what you want by breaking rules or by finding clever ways of working within them

default (verb)

legal to fail to appear in a court of law when you have been ordered to

derogate from (formal)

formal to fail to act according to something as you were expected to or as you agreed

drive a coach and horses through something ()

to completely ignore a law or agreement and stop it being effective

jack up (Australian)

Australianinformal to refuse to obey instructions

offend (verb)

to commit a crime

overstep the mark ()

to do or say something that makes people angry because it breaks a rule or is not acceptable

revolt (verb)

to say that you will not accept someone’s authority or leadership

step out of line ()

to break the rules, or to do something wrong

violate (verb)

to do something that is in opposition to a law, agreement, principle etc