1
as in to accommodate
to do a service or favor for
I would appreciate it greatly if you could oblige me by bringing a dessert to the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
I know you're in a hurry, but you can't oblige me to drive any faster than the speed limit
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 oblige
Fans chanted for Lo LaBonta to come on, and Hayes obliged in the 67th minute, bringing the KC Current captain on for Lily Yohannes.
—
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
If 4 Non Blondes are ever in search of a new member, Jennifer Lopez is one brunette who would gladly oblige.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Amazon has previously told Sourcing Journal that, at this juncture, it has not been legally obliged to serve as a joint employer for the workers the Teamsters have brought issues over.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
The subsequent rise of economic populism has heightened fiscal risks, as governments feel obliged to increase public spending in order to win elections.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oblige
Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
If 4 Non Blondes are ever in search of a new member, Jennifer Lopez is one brunette who would gladly oblige.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
Amazon has previously told Sourcing Journal that, at this juncture, it has not been legally obliged to serve as a joint employer for the workers the Teamsters have brought issues over.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
The subsequent rise of economic populism has heightened fiscal risks, as governments feel obliged to increase public spending in order to win elections.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oblige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oblige
Verb
-
The provocation was at once playful and serious—a way of challenging his audience to stretch toward him rather than accommodating them.—
Ross Benjamin,
The Atlantic,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The information provided to the committee alleges a series of remarkable steps taken to accommodate Maxwell after she was quietly transferred to a medium-security facility in Texas shortly after her meeting with Blanche.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Necessity compelled us to use it.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
-
For that reason, too, the Grammy winner was compelled to furnish it primarily in one brand, RH, so that every bit of white oak would be the same.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The goal is to appease your inner child, rest, and enjoy the season’s joy in the comfort of your home.—
Essence,
Essence,
4 Nov. 2025
-
In fact, several of the investigators believed the shooting was intentional, and that the Biden administration had actually soft-pedaled the investigation’s findings to appease Israel.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Further complicating matters, Doe was interviewed by Phong Tran, a then-Oakland detective who has since been charged with perjury for allegedly coercing witnesses into falsely incriminating murder defendants.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The lawsuit accused the company of coercing customers into signing agreements that allowed the company to act as the exclusive real estate listing agent for an undisclosed period of time.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sullivan also assisted on the Americans’ opening goal, a 30th-minute finish tucked away by Charlotte FC homegrown Nimfasha Berchimas.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office assisted the agency.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His rule finally came to an end in 1998 after the Asian financial crisis threw the country into economic turmoil, prompting widespread protests and forcing Suharto to resign – one of the last people power movements to sweep Southeast Asia and replace a Cold War-era autocrat with democracy.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The last of those darts was fired (initially on X) by Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, who is a resistance darling of the moment after forcing through new, Democrat-friendly congressional maps in his state last week.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
For example, Smith said, in a major city during a holiday weekend, Prepared’s technology helped reduce the number of emergency calls operators had to handle by by 33% because AI was able to deal with non-critical calls like noise complaints.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Han says the funds raised through the Hong Kong listing will help the robotaxi firm continue to spend on R&D and deployment.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This is the level of cuts in CAP water that Arizona originally proposed to take under most hydrological circumstances after 2027, unless farmers in western Arizona agree to take some of the burden off the CAP — which they are not obligated to do.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But also, a village implies a loose, reciprocal network of people who want to help one another, not an employee who is obligated to work for an employer at certain times.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oblige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oblige. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share