OBLIGATIONS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

obligations

noun

plural of obligation

as in responsibilities

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in debts

something (as money) which is owed I have to pay off my current obligations before I can buy a new car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 obligations The new rules would not restrict banks' ability to count housing tax credit investments toward their Community Reinvestment Act obligations, an administration official said. — Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026 Anthropic doesn’t share much financial information with lenders and the exact level of its obligations struck some investors as unsettled. — Ellen Dimauro, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Regulatory And Ethical Compliance Organizations face expanding obligations from sector-specific rules, data protection laws and emerging AI regulations. — Jennifer C. Wolfe, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 In July, Brigham nurses went on a one-day strike but the hospital locked them out for four additional days due to contract obligations for temporary workers. — Digital Producer, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026 True, Dua Lipa has mostly lived in places where the de facto street food is a kebab, but work obligations put her in the land of hot dogs plenty. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 The debt burden also includes more than $18 billion in obligations leftover from past mergers. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 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 However, the order instructs officials to explore ways to forgive the tax obligations, including potentially legislation. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligations

Noun

At Moontrail, creative direction, storytelling, emotional decisions and artistic judgment remain purely human responsibilities.

— Kevin Giraud, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Technical capabilities are evolving quickly, but so are the human skills needed to work effectively alongside AI, adapt to changing workflows and take on new responsibilities.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of responsibilities

Noun

Lawsuits over unpaid debt Public records from Mecklenburg District Court show the McGregors faced multiple lawsuits over unpaid debts and a nearly six-figure tax lien from the IRS.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026
That money could give the surviving spouse more flexibility to cover living expenses, pay off a mortgage and other debts or avoid drawing down retirement accounts faster than planned.

— Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of debts

Noun

Directing duties are shared by China’s Zhao Yilong and American filmmaker Shaun Piccinino.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
More than 1,500 potential voters signed up for a meeting of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care board to pick a replacement for the core duties of the beleaguered Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of duties

Noun

For community associations and other property owners, maintaining safe conditions to avoid injuries is essential to satisfying their duty and minimizing exposure to potentially severe financial and legal liabilities.

— Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Futures have long been used for hedging, and the CME contracts and FutureSports may be ways for sponsors, broadcasters, insurers and arena vendors to potentially hedge exposure against assets and liabilities.

— Kevin Williams, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of liabilities

Noun

The Ukrainian leader held a meeting with military officials and government members on Friday focusing on Ukraine's energy and air defense needs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Asfaw primarily develops cost-friendly skin care products that target young consumer needs.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of needs

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 commitments

Browse Nearby Words

obligation

obligations

obligatory

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of obligations

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

zenith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes