obligation

noun

ˌä-blə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce obligation (audio)
Definition of obligationnext
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

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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

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 obligation But the order only defers the tax obligation, creating confusion about whether truckers may have to pay up at some point. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 The Libra Moon entering your 5th House reminds you that life cannot be all obligations. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026 In other words, Israel is insisting that Hamas meet all its phase two obligations even before Israel has met any of its phase one obligations—a position that renders the plan unworkable. — Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 The responsible path is working with the state to meet its obligations while addressing CPS’ structural deficit. — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obligation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligation
  1. duty
  2. debt
  3. responsibility
  4. need
  5. commitment
Noun
  • Donald is taking on a support role with BBC Studios alongside his day-to-day duties running his Cosmopolitan Pictures indie.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • At a news conference, Ali Daamoush accused the Lebanese state of failing to carry out its duties to help the displaced.
    — Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of duty
Noun
  • Three weeks into the protest, President Emmanuel Macron's government is struggling to work out how to balance demands for more education spending with the need to rein in public debt.
    — Makini Brice, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
  • If your debt is unmanageable, check with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling to see if a debt management plan might help.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of debt
Noun
  • No perpetrators have been publicly identified, and no claims of responsibility have been made public.
    — JOHN LEICESTER, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The carrier is expected to hold NATO command ship responsibilities until mid-2027, positioning it to lead a multinational naval force if activated during an international crisis.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • The film explores the contradictions of a Bulgarian town pulled into Europe’s shifting geopolitical order, where arms production for Ukraine’s frontlines collides with enduring ties to Russia, personal convictions, and the everyday need to survive.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The company recently introduced four-finger hands for Atlas, underscoring the need to design robotic hardware around practical requirements.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of need
Noun
  • More than 70 companies have also signed on to contribute to employees’ children’s accounts, the White House said, following early commitments from firms like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Today, many more American women are choosing Lee Krasner’s lifestyle and her commitments; but to pioneer took a special kind of courage.
    — Barbara Rose, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of commitment

Browse Nearby Words

obligating
obligation
obligations
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Cite this Entry

“Obligation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligation. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obligation

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