as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the problem is of your own making, so don't think that you can obligate me to help
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Recent Examples of obligate
Nessel and officials with the other states argue the agency is legally obligated to use contingency funds and other means in its control to cover SNAP benefits, which provide food assistance in the form of funds made available to low-income individuals and families via benefit cards.
—
Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The unions argue that carrying out permanent layoffs during a funding lapse violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from obligating funds without congressional authorization, and exceeds executive authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Usually the artist will feel obligated to give the audience a breather with at least a couple songs that deal with something other than the central rupture, or which flash forward to assure everyone that the singer is doing all right and healing up, thank you, post-split.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
The loss could reduce services, force staff layoffs and even lead to closures, all while increasing the number of uninsured patients that these clinics are legally obligated to serve regardless of their ability to pay.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The unions argue that carrying out permanent layoffs during a funding lapse violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from obligating funds without congressional authorization, and exceeds executive authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Usually the artist will feel obligated to give the audience a breather with at least a couple songs that deal with something other than the central rupture, or which flash forward to assure everyone that the singer is doing all right and healing up, thank you, post-split.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
The loss could reduce services, force staff layoffs and even lead to closures, all while increasing the number of uninsured patients that these clinics are legally obligated to serve regardless of their ability to pay.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligate
Verb
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Necessity compelled us to use it.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
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For that reason, too, the Grammy winner was compelled to furnish it primarily in one brand, RH, so that every bit of white oak would be the same.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Further complicating matters, Doe was interviewed by Phong Tran, a then-Oakland detective who has since been charged with perjury for allegedly coercing witnesses into falsely incriminating murder defendants.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
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The lawsuit accused the company of coercing customers into signing agreements that allowed the company to act as the exclusive real estate listing agent for an undisclosed period of time.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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His rule finally came to an end in 1998 after the Asian financial crisis threw the country into economic turmoil, prompting widespread protests and forcing Suharto to resign – one of the last people power movements to sweep Southeast Asia and replace a Cold War-era autocrat with democracy.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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The last of those darts was fired (initially on X) by Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, who is a resistance darling of the moment after forcing through new, Democrat-friendly congressional maps in his state last week.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These were gangsters, so they weren’t obliged to couch this any way but direct.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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Shaw-naé pushed for an in-person appointment, and the doctor obliged.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obligate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligate. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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