as in compelled
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obligated
Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 8 Aug. 2025
Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
So they're getting paid for work that they're already obligated to do.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Oman is a party to UNCLOS and is therefore obligated to allow uninterrupted transit through the strait.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
All of this should be unacceptable in a country that believes in the rule of law and that should be obligated to treat every person humanely.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
At a time of significant fiscal pressures, the public deserves complete transparency into how funds are being obligated, prioritized, and protected.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Because states are not obligated to cover fully mental health and substance use treatments under Medicaid, these cuts will negatively impact underserved populations, including low-income and rural communities.
—Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Those obligated to fast are between the ages of 18 and 59, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
But with the addition of transfers Josh Derry and Jonathan Bibbs, along with four-star freshman Tyren Hornes, Thomas feels obligated to have a larger voice in the receivers’ room.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
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
Right to counsel All of this should be unacceptable in a country that believes in the rule of law and that should be obligated to treat every person humanely.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
So they're getting paid for work that they're already obligated to do.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Oman is a party to UNCLOS and is therefore obligated to allow uninterrupted transit through the strait.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
All of this should be unacceptable in a country that believes in the rule of law and that should be obligated to treat every person humanely.
—Erwin Chemerinsky, Twin Cities, 8 Apr. 2026
At a time of significant fiscal pressures, the public deserves complete transparency into how funds are being obligated, prioritized, and protected.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Because states are not obligated to cover fully mental health and substance use treatments under Medicaid, these cuts will negatively impact underserved populations, including low-income and rural communities.
—Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Those obligated to fast are between the ages of 18 and 59, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
But with the addition of transfers Josh Derry and Jonathan Bibbs, along with four-star freshman Tyren Hornes, Thomas feels obligated to have a larger voice in the receivers’ room.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligated
Verb
-
Or rather, he would be compelled to rest more.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
But the pair had crashed several times on track to that point, and Mercedes had felt compelled to freeze any strategy variance to avoid favoring one or the other.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Evergrande was the world’s most heavily indebted real estate developer with more than $300 billion in liabilities when a Hong Kong court handed down a liquidation order in 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Heavily Indebted Poor Country initiative and Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative delivered more than $100 billion in debt relief for 37 heavily indebted countries, the majority of them in Africa.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Retailers say the ban forced them to pull 30-50% of their inventory, including some of their top‑selling products.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Instead, Avdija is at risk of missing out on postseason honors entirely because of a midseason back injury that cost him 16 full games, forced him to leave immediately from a 17th and continues to bug him down the stretch of the season.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Miss Manners was only startled, not traumatized, and fortunately was able to maintain her grateful smile.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The Secretariat of the Apostolic Nunciature said meetings with government officials are standard and the office was grateful to discuss common issues.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The astronauts obliged, returning detailed observations of Orientale.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Seeking an opportunity to be a full-time starter, Thompson requested a trade from the organization the following offseason, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon obliged, sending him to Washington.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Pentagon has shelled out nearly $5 billion over the past year to help ensure its access to the materials after the trade war laid bare just how beholden the U.S. is to China.—
Didi Tang,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
But Netanyahu was beholden for his political future to the radical minority that supported it, and constantly catered to their whims.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Audacity seems to be setting up a deadly confrontation between them, but there’s still some chance JoAnne can be coerced into playing ball with Duncan.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The criminal syndicates refitted their properties as centres where teams of workers – often trafficked and coerced – run online scams at scale.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligated. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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