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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of obligate
To be fair, Belichick is not obligated to share that information, especially considering that it can be used against him later on.
—
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Hartig has argued she was not obligated to turn the report over, and is fighting the other claims against her, too.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Employees also felt obligated to conform to a certain idea of femininity.
—Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
Winnebago County is obligated to operate the former UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus for the benefit of the public for the next two years.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Hartig has argued she was not obligated to turn the report over, and is fighting the other claims against her, too.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Employees also felt obligated to conform to a certain idea of femininity.
—Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
Winnebago County is obligated to operate the former UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus for the benefit of the public for the next two years.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligate
Verb
-
Yet these productions are increasingly designed around an ethos of visual-over-depth that compels us to immediately document and post each scene.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
One way lawsuits can generate this pressure is through the discovery process, which compels companies to turn over internal documents, and could shed insight into what executives knew about safety risks or marketing harms.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Investigators allege that Hernandez coerced at least five minors into participating in the production of child pornography on at least seven occasions, consistent with the seven charges.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Never use someone’s dream to coerce them into a relationship.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
France’s government has collapsed after a vote of no confidence on Monday, forcing Prime Minister Francois Bayrou out of office after just nine months on the job.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who delivered a clutch, game-winning drive after throwing two interceptions, has a bad shoulder and toe that could force him to miss Week 2.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The pilot obliges — and then the co-pilot flips off the autopilot function.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
-
That means the sheriff and chief probation officer are not obliged to implement its recommendations.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obligate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligate. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share