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 There are five parties at play here, each with its own contracts, security posture, regulatory obligations and power to say no. — Shawn Yu, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 The company plans to spend $518 billion on cloud computing and infrastructure obligations in coming year, and said that nearly a quarter of its revenue last year came from two customers. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 The Virgil Abloh Archives x Nike Air Force 1 Low Orange was worn by Gilgeous-Alexander during his media day obligations Monday. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 Conversely, the players’ obligations remain individual, unfinanced and absorbed across 1,200 separate household clocks. — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026 And even with an involved father, mothers continue to carry the invisible mental load of the family, an unseen burden of data, obligations and preemptive planning tasks. — Megan Kuykendoll, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 The merged company will carry over $80 billion in long-term debt as Par assumes WBD’s obligations and piles on more to finance the acquisition. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026 Alphabet lists take-or-pays as a piece of its $811 billion in purchase obligations. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026 Work with a title company or experienced real estate professional to investigate the title and determine what obligations, if any, could affect the transaction. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligations

Noun

Organizations still need clear responsibilities and clear decision-making authority.

— Andrea Eboli, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Latif is conflicted by his double life, bewildered by his doubling of parental responsibilities, constantly trying to think two moves ahead yet always ending up three steps behind.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of responsibilities

Noun

Planning Minister Bruno Moretti said the auction will cover debts of up to 10,000 reais ($2,000).

— Reuters, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
The state treasurer acts as California’s chief banker, in charge of investing its taxpayer money and managing debts, spending and borrowing.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of debts

Noun

Until a new lieutenant governor is named, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari will step in as acting governor if Sherrill is away or unable to perform her duties.

— MIKE CATALINI, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
On Monday, the five media networks that make up the White House television pool — NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox News, and CNN — decided to stop fulfilling their pool duties until the administration reversed course on its CNN ban.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of duties

Noun

Those feedings typically run afoul of associations’ governing documents and their rules and regulations due to the potential nuisances, unsanitary conditions, property damage, and liabilities that feral cats and other animals can create.

— Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
But the state still carries more than $30 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, one of the largest burdens, per capita, in the nation, and isn’t expected to finish paying that off until well into the 2040s.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of liabilities

Noun

Clemons had served as the founding CEO of both ConnCAT and ConnCORP, turning them into hubs for economic and community revitalization that aimed to center the experiences and needs of residents in New Haven’s Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods.

— P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
Ask yourself what scenario is going to provide your brother with the best care, especially as his condition worsens and his needs change.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of needs

Noun

Previous commitments to import certain quantities of goods, such as agricultural products, have not always been met in full, however.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Hitchcock believes that there was a there there—a few fundamental ideas and commitments that guided Roosevelt’s actions.

— Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of obligations

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

heterodox

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes