obligatory

adjective

oblig·a·to·ry | \ ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē

, ä- also ˈä-bli-gə-\

Definition of obligatory

1 : binding in law or conscience The ordinance made it obligatory that homeowners clear the snow from the sidewalks.

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 The thriller included the obligatory chase scene.

4 : obligate sense 1 an obligatory biped

Other Words from obligatory Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about obligatory

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Examples of obligatory in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

During a series of encores, high- and middle-brow fused when Murray was given a bouquet — obligatory for triumphant opera divas — and then pulled a Bruce Springsteen, dashing out into the audience, tossing them every which way. — David Patrick Stearns, Philly.com, "Bill Murray's odd variety show gets a big Philly ovation," 5 Apr. 2018 Yet when one person of special interest — Jos Brech, a 55-year-old Dutchman who had been missing since April — failed to show up for obligatory sampling this year, investigators dug deeper. — Milan Schreuer, The Seattle Times, "17,500 Dutchmen gave their DNA in a murder inquiry. After 20 years, an arrest.," 27 Aug. 2018 While being escorted in an obligatory wheelchair, Jackie sits up straight with her feet—in heels, no less—angled gracefully to one side. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "John F. Kennedy Was Elected 58 Years Ago Today—When Jackie Was Eight Months Pregnant," 8 Nov. 2018 These days, the boho clan comes for the art, including the obligatory pilgrimage to Judd's Chinati Foundation, and is summarily awed by the setting. — Rima Suqi, ELLE Decor, "How an Abandoned Texas Home Is Restored Into an Ethereal Country Getaway," 20 Sep. 2018 And hey, no more obligatory crowdfunding campaigns. That’s a relief. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Microsoft acquires CRPG heavyweights Obsidian and InXile," 10 Nov. 2018 To prevent driving bans, the government is finally thinking about obligatory hardware updates at the manufacturers’ expense to reduce NOx emissions in older diesel cars. — Wolfgang Kerler, The Verge, "You thought Dieselgate was over? It’s not.," 18 Sep. 2018 As expected, the Galaxy Note 9 is basically a spec-sheet refresh of the Note 8 that ticks off the obligatory boxes, borrows a few of the S9+'s tricks, and brings a brand new S Pen to the party. — Michael Simon, PCWorld, "The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has a better S Pen, smarter camera, and astronomical price," 9 Aug. 2018 After being deemed unfit to travel for a Zenit training camp last year, Dzyuba posted an obligatory gym photo on Instagram, with a caption that included nothing more than William Henley’s ‘Invictus’. Glorious insanity. — SI.com, "Surprise World Cup Stars: Artem Dzyuba – The Russian Peter Crouch With an Infectious Smile," 9 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'obligatory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for obligatory

Middle English obligatorie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French obligatorie, obligatoire, borrowed from Latin obligātōrius, from obligāre "to tie up, restrain by tying, place under a legal or moral constraint" + -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix, originally forming derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tōr-, -tor — more at oblige

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