-blə-ˌgāt
Synonyms
Examples of obligate in a Sentence
Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
As a driver, Nichols was obligated to run errands and to get a job to help support her small household.
—Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2024
Muslims are also obligated to pay Zakat al-Fitr, a mandatory charity of food that must be given before the Eid prayer.
—Abigail Beck, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024
Under the Endangered Species Act and the Sikes Act, the Department of Defense is legally obligated to protect the threatened and endangered species on its lands.
—Jen Guyton, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Normally the management contract dictates when the manager is obligated to attend.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024
Those who are obligated to fast are healthy individuals of age.
—The Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2024
These quasi-public entities—under government conservatorship since the subprime-mortgage meltdown—have congressional charters obligating them to benefit low-income households.
—Mya Frazier, Harper's Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024
If a foreign power attacked Hawaii – say the US Navy’s base at Pearl Harbor or the headquarters of the Indo-Pacific Command northwest of Honolulu – the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would not be obligated to rise to the Aloha State’s defense.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
Meera Subramanian, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2024
Nothing in these Official Rules shall obligate Sponsor to publish or otherwise use any entry submitted in connection with this Contest.
—TIME.com, 3 July 2023
For evolutionary biologists, that posed a mystery: How could a new species of obligate social parasites evolve from its host species?
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2023
Schools have until September 2024 to obligate ARP ESSER III funding.
—Trisha Powell Crain | Tcrain@al.com, al, 26 Jan. 2023
Such a relationship between species is called obligate parasitism, because the parasites cannot survive on their own.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2023
The resolutions passed Tuesday obligate the city to work to resolve outstanding issues, which include: Norfolk’s pledge to secure state funding for at least half of the $931 million in local funding required by the Army Corps over 10 years.
—Jim Morrison, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2023
Heuchera americana is an obligate denizen of eastern woodsy sites — shady and a bit damp in spring.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 14 Apr. 2023
Cats are obligate carnivores.
—Dallas News, 22 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obligate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Verb
borrowed from Latin obligātus, past participle of obligāre "to tie up, restrain by tying, place under a legal or moral constraint" — more at oblige
Adjective
borrowed from German obligat "necessary, unavoidable," borrowed from Latin obligātus "under an obligation," from past participle of obligāre "to tie up, restrain by tying, place under a legal or moral constraint" — more at oblige
Note: In biological sense apparently adapted from use of German obligat by the mycologist Heinrich Anton de Bary (1831-88) in Vergleichende Morphologie und Biologie der Pilze, Mycetozoen und Bacterien (Leipzig, 1884), p. 382 ff.
Dictionary Entries Near obligate
Cite this Entry
“Obligate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obligate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
obligate
verb
Medical Definition
obligate
adjective
-lə-ˌgāt
Journal of the American Medical Association
Legal Definition
obligate
transitive verb
More from Merriam-Webster on obligate
Nglish: Translation of obligate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of obligate for Arabic Speakers
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