obligatory

adjective

oblig·​a·​to·​ry ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce obligatory (audio)
ä-,
ˈä-bli-gə- How to pronounce obligatory (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The key insight from my work with athletes is that preparation must become appealing rather than obligatory. Roy Ward, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 Plus, the solo work JIN started on November’s Happy EP reverberates on his new 7-track set, Echo, which comes nearly a year after the K-pop idol became the first of his BTS bandmates to be discharged from the South Korean military after an 18-month obligatory service period. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 16 May 2025 People genuinely feel for the guy, and not in some obligatory, performative, thoughts-and-prayers kind of way. Steve Buckley, New York Times, 14 May 2025 Kudos to the show for avoiding obligatory romantic tension on either front. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for obligatory

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obligatory was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obligatory. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

obligatory

adjective
oblig·​a·​to·​ry ə-ˈblig-ə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce obligatory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-,
 also  ˈäb-li-gə-
: not to be left out, forgotten, or ignored : being required

Medical Definition

obligatory

adjective
oblig·​a·​to·​ry
ə-ˈblig-ə-ˌtōr-ē, ä-, -ˌtȯr- also ˈäb-li-gə-
obligatorily
ə-ˌblig-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē, ä-, -ˈtȯr- also ˌäb-li-gə-
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on obligatory

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