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
The same day, Weber’s office argued that the Secretary of State is not obligated to enforce the residency requirement.
—
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
If it is now widely accepted that truthful portrayals of war are both technically and morally impossible, what are artists still obligated to picture in this moment when war is proliferating across the globe?
—Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
Because of her military background, Matthews also feels obligated to respond directly to phone calls from veterans who seem to be in some kind of mental or physical distress, and to try to talk them through their concerns.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The importer of record is legally obligated to write the check before a single product can be sold.
—Sara Albrecht, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
If it is now widely accepted that truthful portrayals of war are both technically and morally impossible, what are artists still obligated to picture in this moment when war is proliferating across the globe?
—Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
Because of her military background, Matthews also feels obligated to respond directly to phone calls from veterans who seem to be in some kind of mental or physical distress, and to try to talk them through their concerns.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The importer of record is legally obligated to write the check before a single product can be sold.
—Sara Albrecht, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligate
Verb
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Even so, each glimpse of what lies beyond Earth compels us to search farther.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Mar. 2026
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The 38-year-old, a regular at ongoing weekend protests outside ICE’s Broadview processing center, said he felt compelled to come to O’Hare and apply his training in documenting federal agents.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Singh, however, argued that Jones was not coerced but fearful of the consequences.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
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The lawsuit says that HHS' declaration seeks to coerce providers to stop providing gender-affirming care and circumvent legal requirements for policy changes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Staffing shortages have forced some travelers to build in significantly more time before flights – sometimes hours more than usual.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Hawkeyes upset Florida’s offensive rhythm to force six turnovers in the first eight minutes, while the Gators missed numerous scoring opportunities close to the basket.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The difference is that, while Carolyn struggles to define herself against expectation, John has always obliged expectation.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
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In addition, individual countries' civil aviation authorities, including the UAE's GCCA, are obliged to issue detailed directives known as Notam (Notice to Airmen).—
Clare Dight,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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