obliged 1 of 2

1
as in obligated
being under obligation for a favor or gift my new neighbor gave me a Christmas present, and now I feel obliged to reciprocate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2

obliged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of oblige

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 obliged
Verb
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 Member nations are collectively obliged to respond to attacks on other alliance nations under Article 5 of the founding treaty. Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 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 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 Many were obliged to exit the Russian market and unravel complex supply chains, resulting in losses amounting to billions of dollars. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025 In South Florida, plenty of protesters obliged. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025 When a fiction writer writes fiction, they’re obliged to announce it as such. Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025 For 14 years, and three different locations, Babette has obliged Berkeley diners with its creative-yet-comforting farm-to-table cuisine. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliged
Adjective
  • The spokesperson did not respond to specific questions including what the legal basis would be for rescinding obligated funding.
    Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Others were simply thankful to hear the man was able to avoid a serious allergic reaction before fully understanding his allergy.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Video posted on Facebook shows a tree service worker leaning an extremely tall ladder up to an enormous tree in order to rescue a very talkative — and thankful — black cat.
    TJ Macias, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While DeMario and her son have delighted their community each year with the annual attraction, the neighborhood is giving back to them, too.
    Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The Viral Reaction TikTok users were delighted by the clip, with comments including.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • North Korea simply may no longer feel strongly compelled to say yes.
    Will Ripley, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The film, which screenwriter Rowan Joffé adapted from a 2014 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, seems aware of the orientalist mustiness of this premise without being compelled to subvert it in any meaningful way.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • While immensely kind and appreciative to Marie, Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) and the gang for helping free him from a decades-long nightmare, Doug was not long for this world.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Salguero said the tenant was beyond appreciative for the help.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That was a game that, upon reflection, disappointed us with the result but extremely pleased us with the performance.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • But Moyes will be pleased by the impact made by his substitutes against Palace, Alcaraz chief among them.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And then the occasional strip club that I was forced to go to.
    Frank DiGiacomo, Billboard, 3 Nov. 2025
  • According to Adams, Koehler forced the woman from her upstairs bedroom down to downstairs, purposely disorienting her — the basis for the kidnapping charge he was also found guilty of.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Still, Gausman was grateful for the opportunity to perform in front of a raucous crowd at the Rogers Centre, and knows this fight is far from finished.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Justin's super grateful for his fans.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obliged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliged. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on obliged

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!