as in friendly
willing to do a favor
an obliging concierge used her pull to get us reservations at the town's hottest restaurant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in accommodating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in coercing
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
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Recent Examples of obliging
Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025
Texas coach Sean Miller wanted better defense, and the Horns are obliging.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obliging
Adjective
After obliging, the rapper started to riff by adding some new insults.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025
Texas coach Sean Miller wanted better defense, and the Horns are obliging.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
Black has sometimes driven for miles to a particular cemetery only to find a funeral under way, obliging him to leave empty-handed.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obliging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliging
Adjective
-
In other words, the sun may not have arrived in a life-friendly environment purely by chance, but rather as a consequence of the formation of the galactic bar.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The seizure has angered Ukrainian authorities, who accused Hungary's Russia-friendly government of acting illegally.—
JUSTIN SPIKE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The interior is surprisingly accommodating, with enough room to fit a phone, glasses, keys, lip gloss, and hand sanitizer.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Mar. 2026
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Lamai's case isn't the first in which hospitals have been accused of improperly accommodating racist patients.—
William Morris,
Des Moines Register,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meyers is also accused of coercing the 15-year-old into recording the high school’s wrestling team, the complaint alleges.—
Brittany Kubicko,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Guevara and two colleagues, Mason and then-Detective Ernest Halvorson, orchestrated a frame-up by coercing one witness to identify Rios by beating him with a phone book and flashlight, and another by threatening to charge him with obstruction, according to the plaintiffs’ allegations.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But, arguably, many of them have been accomplished by appeasing the concerns of the massive and powerful voting bloc of homeowners.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
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The smooth Italian leather looks buttery and luxurious, while the simplicity of the silhouette is appeasing my favorite sleek, clean aesthetic.—
Olivia Dubyak,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of forcing lasers to synchronize phases, the lantern simply merges their outputs efficiently.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
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The strikes on Chiyah were followed by more airstrikes on nearby areas, forcing Lebanese troops to close roads where al-Qard al-Hasan branches are located to ensure people's safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because of McCasland's background, the sheriff said multiple agencies are assisting with the probe, including federal agents with the FBI Albuquerque Field Office.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Precious-metals dealers help facilitate these purchases, guiding investors through the buying process and, when applicable, assisting with storage, custodial arrangements and regulatory requirements tied to precious metals IRAs.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Justice Department initially said that its release, made in response to a law passed by Congress compelling the agency to disclose nearly all files related to Epstein, comprised more than 3 million pages.—
Elliott Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
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City staff, however, expressed concerns about the request, compelling the recycling plant to instead propose a new shear in the same location as the current one and reducing the new shear's size.—
Jessie Christopher Smith,
Oklahoman,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Member’s Mark Coconut Cake has returned to the bakery just in time for Easter, delighting fans who eagerly await its annual appearance.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
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This same story of economic reinvigoration is playing out across the nation in dozens of rural counties that have embraced renewable energy projects, delighting taxpayers, enriching county coffers and making previously unaffordable public works projects possible.—
Sophie Hartley,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obliging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliging. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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