Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged
Visual

ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Word Central
Spell It!

obligatory

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

obligatory

Main Entry:: oblig·a·to·ry
Pronunciation:: \ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē, ä- also ˈä-bli-gə-\
Function:: adjective
Date:: 15th century

1: binding in law or conscience2: 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

Listen to the pronunciation of obligatorily

\ə-ˌbli-gə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē, ä- also ˌä-bli-gə-\ adverb

Learn more about "obligatory" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "obligatory" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols