obligatory

adjective

ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce obligatory (audio)
Definition of obligatorynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 obligatory But her subsequent campaigning has not been notable and has been largely limited to obligatory Democratic events and Pritzker bill signings. — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 The obligatory weekly hour-long class was introduced in September 2022 to promote the Kremlin’s views on patriotism and Russian history including the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 During his obligatory television interview at the end of the first half of Saturday’s preseason game against the Rams at Arrowhead Stadium, Chiefs coach Andy Reid expressed his frustration. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026 While several countries have tried opt-out systems, France is hoping more muscular obligatory opt-in rules will be more effective. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligatory
  1. mandatory
  2. stereotyped
  3. compulsory
  4. tired
  5. required
  6. usual
  7. incumbent
  8. commonplace
Adjective
  • The marketplace provides a mechanism for allied countries to immediately access cutting-edge capabilities while the mandatory compatibility standards allow hardware to be produced in any participating nation, separate from proprietary software.
    — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The inclusion of women, albeit mandatory, is no small matter, as sailing has long been accused of being a masculine environment, if not outright sexist.
    — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of mandatory
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Adjective
  • The security buildup comes as university students have returned to the streets in Tehran, protesting compulsory hijab rules, rising education costs and political repression, videos published on Iran International show.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Around 110 staff in the unit will face compulsory redundancy, while 35 vacancies will be closed.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • For serious gear collectors tired of pocket clutter and dark backpack voids, this clever mobile workstation is a genuinely smart, highly functional evolution.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air during the night, and waking up feeling tired.
    — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • As for videos, adding the required warning can satisfy the disclosure requirement in the Louisiana law.
    — Stefani Langehennig, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Because the carbon material smooths itself during deposition, manufacturers can eliminate downstream chemical mechanical planarization or etch-back steps that are normally needed to create the required surface.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • My task was to comment on which might be most palatable—or least offensive—to the fair’s usual client base.
    — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • There were three meltdowns close together that were worse than usual.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • California voters will decide this November whether incumbent Shirley Weber will be reelected as secretary of state of California or her challenger, Republican Don Wagner, will replace her.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In the 3rd District, incumbent Tania Garcia-Cadena is running unopposed.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of incumbent
Adjective
  • Could something so commonplace really be slowly poisoning people?
    — Sean McCann, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In the weeks that followed, tethered and untethered surveillance drones became commonplace at campaign rallies and large events at the White House complex.
    — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of commonplace

Browse Nearby Words

obligations
obligatory
oblige
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Cite this Entry

“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligatory. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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