obligatory

oblig·a·to·ry

adjective \ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē, ä- also ˈä-bli-gə-\

Definition of OBLIGATORY

1

: binding in law or conscience

2

: relating to or enforcing an obligation <a writ obligatory>

3

: mandatory, required <obligatory military service>; also : so commonplace as to be a convention, fashion, or cliché <the obligatory death scene in opera>

4

: obligate 1

— oblig·a·to·ri·ly \ə-ˌbli-gə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē, ä- also ˌä-bli-gə-\ adverb

Examples of OBLIGATORY

1. The training is obligatory for all personnel.
2. This action movie includes the obligatory chase scenes.

First Known Use of OBLIGATORY

15th century

Related to OBLIGATORY

Synonyms

compulsory, forced, imperative, incumbent, involuntary, necessary, nonelective, mandatory, peremptory, required

Antonyms

elective, optional, voluntary

Related Words

all-important, essential, indispensable, needed, requisite; insistent, persistent, pressing, urgent; demanded, enforced; coercive

Near Antonyms

chosen, discretionary; dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted; inconsequential, insignificant, nonessential, unimportant

Rhymes with OBLIGATORY

accusatory, admonitory, adulatory, a fortiori, aleatory, ambulatory, amendatory, applicatory, approbatory, celebratory, circulatory, combinatory, commendatory, compensatory, conciliatory, condemnatory, confirmatory, confiscatory, conservatory, consolatory, contributory, copulatory, cosignatory, declamatory, declaratory, dedicatory, defamatory, denigratory, depilatory, depository, derogatory, designatory, dispensatory, divinatory, escalatory, excitatory, exclamatory, exculpatory, excusatory, exhibitory, exhortatory, expiatory, expiratory, explanatory, explicatory, exploratory, expository, expurgatory, incubatory, indicatory, inflammatory, informatory, innovatory, inspiratory, inundatory, invitatory, judicatory, masticatory, masturbatory, memento mori, millefiori, obfuscatory, observatory, performatory, persecutory, predicatory, premonitory, prohibitory, reformatory, regulatory, repository, retributory, revelatory, respiratory, salutatory, stipulatory, supplicatory, transmigratory, undulatory

oblig·a·to·ry

adjective \ə-ˈblig-ə-ˌtōr-ē, ä-, -ˌtȯr- also ˈäb-li-gə-\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of OBLIGATORY

: obligate 1

—oblig·a·to·ri·ly \ə-ˌblig-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē, ä-, -ˈtȯr- also ˌäb-li-gə-\ (audio pronunciation) (audio pronunciation) adverb