oblige

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verb \ ə-ˈblīj \

Definition of oblige

obliged; obliging

transitive verb

1 :to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstance

obliged to find a job

felt obliged to share it with her

2 a :to put in one's debt by a favor or service

We are much obliged for your help.

b :to do a favor for

always ready to oblige a friend

intransitive verb

:to do something as or as if as a favor

When he was asked for advice, he obliged.

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obliger

noun

See oblige defined for English-language learners

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Examples of oblige in a Sentence

The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public.
Her job obliges her to work overtime and on weekends.
She's always ready to oblige her friends.
“Thank you for your help.” “I'm happy to oblige.”
They asked for food and he obliged with soup and sandwiches.

Recent Examples of oblige from the Web

Franklin had been obliged to help print attacks against it in his brother’s newspaper, but the procedure’s success won him over.

— stephen coss, Smithsonian, "What Led Benjamin Franklin to Live Estranged From His Wife for Nearly Two Decades?," 24 Aug. 2017
Members of his Cabinet who disagree have the right to resign, but the military is obliged to carry out the order.

— krishnadev calamur, The Atlantic, "Trump Is 'Locked and Loaded' in a Nuclear Game of Chicken," 11 Aug. 2017
Temer would be obliged to stand down as president for up to 180 days while the court case goes ahead.

— simone preissler iglesias, Bloomberg.com, "How to Try a President in Brazil," 31 July 2017
The children obliged, and Junior rested his dessert on his golf cart.

— nick canepa, sandiegouniontribune.com, "There will be no NFL jocularity here this summer," 23 July 2017
The BBC was reportedly obliged to provide its political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, with personal security.

— The Economist, "BagehotBritish politics has become dangerously bad-tempered," 19 July 2017
BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel’s challenger in Germany’s national election called Sunday for the government to be obliged to invest a set amount in infrastructure such as roads, railways and schools.

— geir moulson, The Seattle Times, "Merkel’s challenger: Germany should invest in infrastructure," 16 July 2017
FT, metered access • Australia Takes the Lead on Weakening Encryption Australia became the first major western democracy to introduce legislation obliging companies to provide national security services with access to encrypted messaging.

— alan murray, Fortune, "CEO Daily: Friday, 14th July," 14 July 2017
Moskalick obliged and eventually became a full-time coach.

— rahim thompson, Post-Tribune, "Lindsay Moskalick the Post-Tribune 2017 Girls Track Coach of the Year," 5 July 2017

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

Did You Know?

Oblige shares some similarities with its close relative obligate, but there are also differences. Oblige derived via Middle English and Anglo-French from Latin obligare ("to bind to"), a combination of ob- ("to or toward") and ligare ("to bind"), whereas obligate descended directly from the past participle of obligare. Both oblige and obligate are frequently used in their past participle forms to express a kind of legal or moral constraint. Obligated once meant "indebted for a service or favor," but today it typically means "required to do something because the law requires it or because it is the right thing to do." Obliged is now the preferred term for the sense that Southern author Flannery O'Connor used in a 1952 letter: "I would be much obliged if you would send me six copies."

Origin and Etymology of oblige

Middle English, from Anglo-French obliger, from Latin obligare, literally, to bind to, from ob- toward + ligare to bind — more at ligature

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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oblige Synonyms

Synonyms

accommodate, favor

Antonyms

disoblige

Related Words

humor, indulge; coddle, mollycoddle, pamper; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate; delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy; abet, aid, assist, help, support; attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), relieve, succor

Near Antonyms

bother, discommode, disturb, incommode, inconvenience, trouble; burden, encumber, saddle, weigh; desert, disappoint, fail, let down; constrain, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, hold back, impede, obstruct, restrain; frustrate, oppose, sabotage, thwart

Synonym Discussion of oblige

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige mean to make someone or something yield. force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

- forced to flee for their lives

compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

- compelled to admit my mistake

coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

- coerced into signing over the rights

constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

- constrained by conscience

oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

- felt obliged to go

OBLIGE Defined for English Language Learners

oblige

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verb

Definition of oblige for English Language Learners

: to force or require (someone or something) to do something because of a law or rule or because it is necessary
: to do something that someone has asked you to do : to do a favor for (someone)