docile
15 synonyms and 40 antonyms for docile, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Easy to control, teach, or manage; gentle and compliant.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
authoritarian
bossy
dictatorial
dominant
imperious
domineering
overbearing
defiant
obstinate
perverse
rebellious
recalcitrant
incompliant
wilful
incontrollable
indocile
intractable
nonamenable
noncompliant
noncontrollable
nondocile
nonindulgent
nonpassive
nonpliant
nonyielding
unamenable
unbiddable
uncomplaisant
uncompliant
uncontrollable
undocile
ungovernable
unindulgent
unmanageable
unmeek
unpassive
unpliant
unrulable
untractable
unyielding
How to use docile
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a docile animal
docile temperament
remain docile
Etymology
From Latin docilis, "easily taught," from docere, "to teach" — the same root as "doctor" and "doctrine."
Full origin of docile →Frequently asked questions
What does “docile” mean?
The word “docile” means easy to control, teach, or manage; gentle and compliant. In plain terms, calm, obedient, and easy to handle — often used of animals or compliant people.
How do you pronounce “docile”?
“Docile” is pronounced DOH-syl (/ˈdɑ.səl/ in IPA).
How do you use “docile” in a sentence?
Here is “docile” used in a sentence: “The old dog was docile and let the kids climb all over it.”
What is another word for “docile”?
Words with a similar meaning to “docile” include amenable, biddable, complaisant, compliant, controllable and governable.
What is the opposite of “docile”?
The opposite of “docile” — its antonyms — are authoritarian, bossy, dictatorial, dominant and imperious.
What part of speech is “docile”?
“Docile” is an adjective.
Where does the word “docile” come from?
The word “docile” comes from Latin. From Latin docilis, "easily taught," from docere, "to teach" — the same root as "doctor" and "doctrine.".
