1
as in duty
something one must do because of prior agreement
their financial obligations keep them from giving to charities as much as they would like
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in debt
something (as money) which is owed
I have to pay off my current obligations before I can buy a new car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obligation
Within seconds, however, they’re disrupted by the news that the fans love their newest single—perhaps a little too much, forcing them to hop to the next promotional obligation right away, a painfully accurate representation of K-pop’s unsustainable race for attention.
—
Yvonne Kim, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
In the sequel to the classic 1984 mockumentary, the members of Spinal Tap (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) get back together to meet a contractual obligation for one last concert.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This section has been prioritized because of a legal obligation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The company posted a net loss of $26 million, down 200% from a net income of $26 million for the second quarter of 2024, along with a 12% decrease in gross profit with millions in debt obligations.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Yvonne Kim, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
In the sequel to the classic 1984 mockumentary, the members of Spinal Tap (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer) get back together to meet a contractual obligation for one last concert.
—Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This section has been prioritized because of a legal obligation.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
The company posted a net loss of $26 million, down 200% from a net income of $26 million for the second quarter of 2024, along with a 12% decrease in gross profit with millions in debt obligations.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligation
Noun
-
By the end of the trial in September 2023, Paxton was acquitted and resumed his duties as attorney general.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The foundation's mission is deeply personal for Siller, stemming from the sacrifice of his brother, FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel on 9/11 to answer the call of duty.—
Paid Content by Tunnel to Towers,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Added to that, the British economy is sluggish and loaded with debt, and Starmer’s chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has no obvious options for raising revenues in her November budget, having ruled out tax hikes on working people in the election campaign.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Since the state issues debt denominated in dollars, the national debt is not the same as household debt.—
Vipin Bharathan,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Accountability requires taking personal responsibility for your cognitive development.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This shift represents a fundamental change in how professional development happens, with corporations taking direct responsibility for credentialing workers in emerging technologies.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Global South's innovation ecosystem shows us that technology can emerge from and serve local needs.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Given City’s soft centre has come from a failure to cope with counter-attacks and a lack of pace to defend in a high line, Khusanov may just be the blunt force antidote Guardiola needs.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Traditional approaches focus on financial engineering such as negotiating discounts for long-term commitments, or on observability tools that track who is running what.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Microsoft has subsequently also offered to make further commitments to resolve its competition concerns after the European Commission market-tested the firm's initial pledges.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obligation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligation. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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