Synonym Chooser

How is the word oblige different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of oblige are coerce, compel, constrain, and force. While all these words mean "to make someone or something yield," oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

When would coerce be a good substitute for oblige?

Although the words coerce and oblige have much in common, coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

When might compel be a better fit than oblige?

The words compel and oblige can be used in similar contexts, but compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

When can constrain be used instead of oblige?

The meanings of constrain and oblige largely overlap; however, constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

Where would force be a reasonable alternative to oblige?

While the synonyms force and oblige are close in meaning, force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

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 oblige But this ruse is like the broader trans movement itself, which obliges you to deny the evidence dangling before your own eyes. The Editors, National Review, 4 June 2025 With Hill’s 83,000 Instagram and 34,000 TikTok followers, Roadway was happy to oblige. Bridget Read, Curbed, 28 May 2025 The Giants obliged, sending their now-former quarterback into free agency for the first time in his career. Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025 On the one hand, he felt legally obliged to obey Dred Scott—the court ruling that said Blacks were not citizens—and worried about public reaction. Zaakir Tameez june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for oblige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oblige
Verb
  • Three or four hotels will accommodate all of them, and only 30 of Venice’s 280 water taxis have been reserved.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 June 2025
  • Most judges cannot accommodate an evidentiary hearing the same day.
    Wendy Hickey, Boston Herald, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • Female clients of mine have also reported feeling compelled to embrace more traditionally feminine roles.
    Jerry Colonna, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • However, the Supreme Court ruled that lawsuits to compel states to enforce Medicaid law—a federal statute—aren’t valid.
    Essence, Essence, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Our theory at the time was that Boeing planes would be leveraged as countries sought to reduce trade deficits with the U.S. to appease Trump.
    Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 27 June 2025
  • As long as the far-left is determining their party’s agenda, Democrats will continue to bleed support as more and more Americans reject not only its radicalism but its inability to distinguish between right and wrong and its inclination to appease evil.
    Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • In some cases, governments even coerce companies into accepting artificially low prices by threatening to violate their patents and allow other manufacturers to produce copycat drugs.
    Rosa Mendoza, Boston Herald, 16 June 2025
  • Geragos has tried to portray Jane as a willing participant in encounters with male escorts and entertainers while Diddy watched, to undermine prosecution claims that she was coerced and trafficked.
    Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • From generating boilerplate code to assisting with architecture diagrams, AI is now part of the daily workflow.
    Sebastian Avila, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The goal is for swarms of these tiny robots to one day assist with tasks like rescue missions or artificial pollination.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • There is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health treatment, and forcing patients onto less effective medications can lead to setbacks in health, social functioning, and recovery.
    Carali McLean, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 June 2025
  • The murder thrusts Zhan-Zhou into the spotlight and the court of public opinion, forcing her towards a fate intertwined with that of her own country.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • A couple was left bewildered after discovering an unfamiliar cat helping itself to their own pet's food in a now-viral TikTok video that has left viewers on the platform in hysterics.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • Access to state-of-the-art textile manufacturing equipment is necessary to help improve processes at the nation’s plants, both in order to drive efficiency and cost-competitiveness.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • But as a student of history, a patriotic American who flies the flag at my house every day, who keeps a large portrait of George Washington in my living room, I am obligated to do something rather than passively sit by while the unacceptable becomes normalized.
    Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
  • In February, the administration said nine state agencies, boards and commissions were unable to access funding obligated by the federal government.
    Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Oblige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oblige. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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