compliant / submissive
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submissive
Describes a person who is willing to submit or yield to another person's will without resistance.
Nach langem Zureden wurde er schließlich gefügig und stimmte dem Plan zu.
After a lot of persuasion, he finally became submissive and agreed to the plan.
to make compliant
To make someone or something obey one's own will through pressure, persuasion, or force.
Der Diktator versuchte, sich das Volk mit Propaganda und Drohungen gefügig zu machen.
The dictator tried to make the people compliant through propaganda and threats.
The adjective 'gefügig' (compliant/submissive) is closely related to the verb 'sich fügen' (to submit/yield), which means 'sich unterordnen' (to subordinate oneself) or 'nachgeben' (to give in). Someone who is 'gefügig' submits to another person's will.
Er fügte sich widerwillig der Entscheidung seines Chefs.
He reluctantly submitted to his boss's decision.
The word 'gefügig' (compliant/submissive) has a strongly negative connotation. It does not simply describe cooperation, but rather submission that is often seen as weakness or as the result of coercion.
Der Chef wünscht sich keine kritischen Mitarbeiter, sondern nur gefügige Angestellte.
The boss does not want critical employees, only submissive staff.
The construction 'jemanden gefügig machen' (to make someone compliant) is a very common fixed expression. It means to make a person obey through pressure or manipulation.
Er versuchte, die Zeugen mit Drohungen gefügig zu machen.
He tried to make the witnesses compliant with threats.
obedience
Der Gehorsam (obedience) mainly refers to following the instructions, orders, or rules of an authority. Gefügig, by contrast, describes a person who submits to another person's will without resistance, often going beyond a single instruction. Use Gehorsam for the behavior and gefügig for the stronger personal submission.
Der gefügige Mitarbeiter widersprach dem Vorgesetzten auch bei einer neuen Forderung nicht.
The compliant employee did not contradict his supervisor even when faced with a new demand.
Der Gehorsam des Mitarbeiters zeigte sich, als er die Anweisung sofort befolgte.
The employee's obedience was evident when he followed the instruction immediately.
