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

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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
Springsteen obliged, with a statement that was at once concise and powerful. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025 According to him, Dicaprio ended the long night by asking him for a drink, and Tunstall obliged with Hibiki Suntory Whisky. Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025 The bulk of the crowd fell quiet as those closest to the sign obliged. Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 24 Sep. 2025 Investors who obtain the visa aren’t obliged to reside in Greece. Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025 His second-best was flinging the ball up and hoping for a pass interference call, which the Buffs (and refs) obliged three times on the Cowboys’ first four third-down tries. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025 Lesnar obliged and hit Graves with a second F5. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025 The Cincinnati Bengals star obliged. Trevor Squire, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 Princess Kate obliged, seemed to say farewell to Melania and stepped away to walk towards Prince William's side. Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 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
  • We are blessed in love and life and are so very thankful for our families coming together.
    Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Fischer Homes is deeply thankful to all the generous trade partners and sponsors who helped make this home a reality; their contributions brought beauty and quality to every corner.
    Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The interaction delighted Kate's followers, who commented on his presence and received a wave from off-camera.
    Carson Blackwelder, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Guillermo Del Toro’s appearance alongside actor Shin Yeeun particularly delighted audiences and generated significant social media attention.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What compelled you to want to be more cognizant of styling?
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Kobach asked Watson to issue a court order that would have compelled Kelly and Howard to sign off on the data transfer as part of their official duties.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Stevenson was appreciative of the vote of confidence from his head coach.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The menu circles the room to appreciative murmurs.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • However, two days later, Long addressed Carey's reaction on The Shade Room, revealing Carey asked her to sing during the tribute and was pleased by her set.
    Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Leading by 3 with just over a minute left, Canales forced the Dolphins to use their first two timeouts with a pair of Rico Dowdle runs.
    Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Without Karen around, the women are forced to contend with the fallout from the reunion — namely, the tenuous terms that many of the women left with Karen on and the unresolved confrontation between the bulk of the cast and newcomer Stacey Rusch.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The clean freaks in your life will be eternally grateful.
    Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Selena Gomez is in her grateful-for-Taylor Swift era.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Obliged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliged. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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