obligated 1 of 2

as in obliged
being under obligation for a favor or gift we have been their guests so many times that we feel obligated to return their hospitality

Synonyms & Similar Words

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obligated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of obligate

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 obligated
Adjective
The spokesperson did not respond to specific questions including what the legal basis would be for rescinding obligated funding. Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Clients should understand whether the advisor is legally obligated to put their interests first, how conflicts are disclosed and whether recommendations are shaped by commissions, proprietary products or outside incentives. Bob Chitrathorn, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 For example, a surviving joint account holder may remain responsible for paying the balance because they were already legally obligated on the account. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 22 June 2026 If it’s not obligated by the end of September, that money will expire and can no longer be spent. Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 22 June 2026 If a jury accepts the defense, it is obligated to convict a defendant of manslaughter, which is punishable by up to 25 years in prison, instead of murder, which carries a potential life sentence. Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 France’s rule barring under-15s from social media, for instance, doesn’t specify who is actually obligated to enforce it, since naming platforms as the responsible party would trigger a direct conflict with EU law. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2026 If a jury accepts the defense, it is obligated to convict a defendant of manslaughter, which is punishable by up to 25 years in prison, instead of murder, which carries a potential life sentence. Michael R. Sisak, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026 Huang has felt obligated to respond to critics who warn of job losses and threats to humanity itself. Josh Boak, Fortune, 17 June 2026 Musicians aren’t obligated to do anything political as part of the job, and plenty of audiences appreciate when artists don’t preach partisan points of view. Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligated
Adjective
  • These dishes illustrate how key indigenous ingredients and knowledge systems were to early American cuisine, even as Simmons’s recipes remained deeply indebted to British forms.
    Ashley Rose Young, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2026
  • But because higher rates generally make borrowing more expensive, costs can add up for highly indebted households or those that carrying several different types of debt.
    Mike Winters, CNBC, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • In May, Jolie scored a victory of her own when Judge Pánuco determined that she was not required to provide Pitt's attorneys with access to 22 unredacted emails after previous rulings compelled her legal team to do so.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 June 2026
  • In the modern admissions process, particularly at selective schools, students are compelled to conflate their self-worth with their ability to package themselves as marketable products.
    Scott White, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • The Polish superstar is also grateful for the help of another skiing icon, Shiffrin.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • Brian also says his family remains deeply grateful to the transplant team at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, whose care helped make Benjamin's recovery possible.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • The attack forced hundreds of migrants to seek shelter in churches and mosques, according to state broadcaster SABC.
    Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • But the Department of Homeland Security let go a third of CISA employees in 2025 through buyouts, early retirements, forced reassignments and sweeping layoffs.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • Ryan Broderick has watched digital media companies flame out — beholden to a single source of funding or a fickle algorithm.
    Scott Nover, Washington Post, 21 June 2026
  • That trajectory continued through 2019’s sprawling Our Pathetic Age and 2023’s Action Adventure, which Shadow told SPIN reflected his desire to create music that felt more immediate and instinctive rather than beholden to expectations surrounding his legacy.
    SPIN Staff, SPIN, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • Even with that 2024 ruling and last year’s trial, Rinsch hasn’t paid back Netflix anything, though he still is obliged to.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • Not everyone is lonely; some women, no longer obliged to marry, are probably happier and freer.
    Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Enterprises that route requests between multiple models can be coerced into selecting the weakest route.
    Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The study was later shut down after an internal review confirmed that patients were coerced into participating.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Obligated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligated. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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