1
as in duty
something one must do because of prior agreement
their financial obligations keep them from giving to charities as much as they would like
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in debt
something (as money) which is owed
I have to pay off my current obligations before I can buy a new car
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obligation
In response to an NPR question, a senior Education Department official acknowledged that, as was the case with many of those previous agreements, the Treasury Department cannot fully assume all the Education Department's statutory student loan obligations.
—
Cory Turner, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
As noted earlier, ESPN didn’t convince Demarchi that Taylor counts as a public figure, who require the additional obligation of establishing actual malice.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2026
In informal surveys our team conducted on-site, only 4 in 60 suppliers demonstrated a clear understanding of emerging data obligations tied to market access.
—Akhil Sivanandan, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
Complaining about them doesn’t change the obligation to meet them.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Cory Turner, NPR, 19 Mar. 2026
As noted earlier, ESPN didn’t convince Demarchi that Taylor counts as a public figure, who require the additional obligation of establishing actual malice.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2026
In informal surveys our team conducted on-site, only 4 in 60 suppliers demonstrated a clear understanding of emerging data obligations tied to market access.
—Akhil Sivanandan, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
Complaining about them doesn’t change the obligation to meet them.
—Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligation
Noun
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The American always had the engine and work rate to flit between defensive and attacking duties in a central midfield berth.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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The Minnetonka Fire Department classified Johnson's death as a line-of-duty death.—
Ray Campos,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
White officials used their positions atop the local commissions that oversaw federal agricultural programs to drive Black landowners into so much debt that most of them had to sell off their land.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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New data shows that Americans have saved less in the past few months and lower-income families in particular have run up more debts.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Overall, the property demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental responsibility, ethical labor standards, and cultural preservation.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Some of my responsibilities include collecting medical histories, making financial estimates for procedures, organizing records, cleaning kennels, prepping surgery rooms, doing post-op recovery, and some basic patient care.—
Michelle Le,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But not all airlines hedge, and those that do are usually only protected for a portion of their fuel needs, meaning prolonged price surges may cause more carriers to raise fares.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
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Ledezma, a senior research analyst at the CSU Chancellor’s Office and doctoral candidate at UC Irvine, spoke during her interview about the need to remove barriers for students in the region.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The occasion Saturday afternoon was a commitment announcement bash for Dons star running back/defensive back Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, broadcast live by the streaming service CBS Sports HQ.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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But the fact that employees still showed up, including without pay during last year’s federal government shutdown, demonstrates their commitment to keeping the beloved parks flourishing.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligation. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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