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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of obligated
Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 8 Aug. 2025
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2026
Unless someone co-signed the loan or lives in one of the few states with community property rules, relatives are not legally obligated to pay, provided probate processes are properly followed.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
More often than not, people feel obligated to dress up when wearing a cape.
—Morgan Evans, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
After the merger, Compass has the ability to command more lucrative commission splits from agents — that is, the cut that the agent is obligated to give the brokerage on every deal.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 14 Jan. 2026
The county is statutorily obligated to pay for the representation of Moody and Nobles, but many of the residents who spoke at the commissioners court meeting asked the county to settle the case so the Johnson family may find peace.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Jan. 2026
Traditionally, the person who receives the piece of cake with the trinket is named king or queen of the festivities and is obligated to host the next party.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Boasberg has insisted that, despite the men’s return to Venezuela, the government remains obligated to provide them a chance to challenge their removals.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
That legislation wouldn’t cost the state anything, but state lawmakers in Chicago have called for the team to help pay off more than $500 million in debt remaining from the 2003 renovation of the team’s home at Soldier Field, which the city is obligated to pay.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 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
Aren’t the other 30 people obligated to assist Denny?
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2026
Unless someone co-signed the loan or lives in one of the few states with community property rules, relatives are not legally obligated to pay, provided probate processes are properly followed.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
More often than not, people feel obligated to dress up when wearing a cape.
—Morgan Evans, InStyle, 15 Jan. 2026
After the merger, Compass has the ability to command more lucrative commission splits from agents — that is, the cut that the agent is obligated to give the brokerage on every deal.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 14 Jan. 2026
The county is statutorily obligated to pay for the representation of Moody and Nobles, but many of the residents who spoke at the commissioners court meeting asked the county to settle the case so the Johnson family may find peace.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Jan. 2026
Traditionally, the person who receives the piece of cake with the trinket is named king or queen of the festivities and is obligated to host the next party.
—Elissa Jorgensen, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026
Boasberg has insisted that, despite the men’s return to Venezuela, the government remains obligated to provide them a chance to challenge their removals.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 13 Jan. 2026
That legislation wouldn’t cost the state anything, but state lawmakers in Chicago have called for the team to help pay off more than $500 million in debt remaining from the 2003 renovation of the team’s home at Soldier Field, which the city is obligated to pay.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligated
Verb
-
As the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the enclave spiralled, Ghanem and hundreds of other KCL students felt compelled to act.—
Sana Noor Haq,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
-
As a result, Russian forces are compelled either to relocate these positions beyond the effective range of Ukrainian drones or to place them under the protection of counter-drone systems.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Thank you so much and again, myself, my teammates are forever indebted to you guys.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Jan. 2026
-
When one friend is habitually the payer, others may feel grateful, indebted, infantilized or even relieved.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With temperatures climbing above freezing and sunny skies melting half the structure, they were forced to start over entirely.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Twenty-two people — two civilians and 20 firefighters — were injured and thousands were forced to evacuate.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Atwood is grateful for her certification and is now envisioning brighter and better days.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In some sense, there’s a palpable disgust that this community has responded not by cowering, not by submitting, not by being grateful for this sort of armed invasion that is meant to stress everyone out, but by trying to foil it.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Under federal law, the company was obliged to report the error and return the money.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Garavani and Giammetti, his business partner and close friend, happily obliged.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Yet there’s another genre to which Hill was and continued to be equally beholden, and that’s the Hollywood musical.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Finally, Logan coerced Jake to admit to peeling the paper.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Al-Zubaidi had good reason to fear he would be imprisoned or at least coerced into capitulation.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligated. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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