1
as in mandatory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
in this state, school attendance is obligatory until the age of 16
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
the obligatory cliff-hanger endings for season finales of TV shows
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Recent Examples of obligatory
Having reached the Five-Timers Club, as addressed in an obligatory monologue sketch featuring Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, Candice Bergen and others, Black was a returning hero.
—
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Here is what to know about Good Friday, and the obligatory fast for Catholics.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
The norms concerning meat abstinence apply to members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onward, and the norms of fasting are obligatory for Catholic followers aged 18 through 59, according to the conference.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Here is what to know about Good Friday, and the obligatory fast for Catholics.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
The norms concerning meat abstinence apply to members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onward, and the norms of fasting are obligatory for Catholic followers aged 18 through 59, according to the conference.
—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The movie does attempt to gesture at class and race as thematic underpinnings (the maids trapped in The Virgil are mostly non-white, while the villains are rich Caucasians), but like the story and action at large, these go pretty much nowhere, and feel like obligatory symbols.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligatory
Adjective
-
The spokesperson noted that the pilot had completed all mandatory medical examinations in compliance with regulatory requirements and held a Class I medical certification.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Martin accepted a plea deal for a 25-year sentence, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
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Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Stripping the rights of states as the primary authority to regulate their education would also limit their oversight of teacher certification, curricula standards and compulsory education.—
Dina Ciotola,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
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But the trial judge, not the jury, will rule on any compulsory changes for Meta at the trial’s second stage in May.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For homeowners tired of robotic mowers that demand nearly as much effort as traditional ones, the K1 is a genuine upgrade.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Susan Collins is an anemic and tired candidate.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jackeline Madrid suffered a fracture and required stitches.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Bark’s new Companion Concierge will help arrange international paperwork and required vaccinations.—
Beth Landman,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It's become almost commonplace in schools and at shopping malls.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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The incident brought America's commonplace gun violence just feet away from a room full of lawmakers, top officials, and journalists.—
Ryan Lucas,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In Maine, Graham Platner, a rough-hewn populist who had to cover up a Nazi tattoo, looks set to handily beat Janet Mills, the polished seventy-eight-year-old incumbent governor.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Interestingly, Governors Weld, Romney and Baker were elected when the incumbent governor, with all the power of the office, did not see re-election and the office was up for grabs.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Flick was aware of what lay in store for his team and asked them to play a more pragmatic game than usual.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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As the Moon moves through your 5th House of Creativity, your voice carries more impact than usual.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligatory. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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