obligation

[ ob-li-gey-shuhn ]

/ ˌɒb lɪˈgeɪ ʃən /

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See synonyms for: obligation / obligations on Thesaurus.com

noun

something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.

something that is done or is to be done for such reasons: to fulfill one's obligations.

a binding promise, contract, sense of duty, etc.

the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise, contract, etc.

Law.

an agreement enforceable by law, originally applied to promises under seal.
a document containing such an agreement.
a bond containing a penalty, with a condition annexed for payment of money, performance of covenants, etc.

any bond, note, bill, certificate, or the like, as of a government or a corporation, serving as evidence of indebtedness.

an indebtedness or amount of indebtedness.

a favor, service, or benefit for which gratitude is due.

a debt of gratitude: He felt an obligation to his teacher.

the state of being under a debt, as of gratitude, for a favor, service, or benefit.

OTHER WORDS FOR obligation

1 responsibility.

5 contract, covenant.

See synonyms for obligation on Thesaurus.com

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of obligation

1250–1300; Middle English obligacioun<Old French obligation<Latin obligātiōn- (stem of obligātiō) a binding, equivalent to obligāt(us) bound (see obligate) + -iōn--ion

synonym study for obligation

1. See duty.

OTHER WORDS FROM obligation

pre·ob·li·ga·tion, nounre·ob·li·ga·tion, nounsu·per·ob·li·ga·tion, noun

Words nearby obligation

oblast, oblate, oblation, obligate, obligated, obligation, obligational, obligational authority, obligative, obligato, obligatory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use obligation in a sentence

Although corporations can opt in to become a PBC, there is no obligation on them to do so and they need the support of their shareholders.
50 years later, Milton Friedman’s shareholder doctrine is dead|jakemeth|September 13, 2020|Fortune
Right now, 71 percent of all non-agricultural part-time workers fit the latter category, and one of the biggest noneconomic reasons that people look for or accept part-time work is child care obligations.
The Easy Part Of The Economic Recovery Might Be Over|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Each of us has an obligation to befriend people who are different from us and invite them into our homes.
We won’t have a true economic recovery until we tackle the racial wealth gap|matthewheimer|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Earlier in lockdown, when people were always available — because life outside the home was essentially banned — there were new, complicated obligations to be virtually present.
‘It can take on a panopticon effect’: Slack’s presenteeism problem grows with no end in sight for remote work|Lucinda Southern|August 28, 2020|Digiday

By spreading out the payments over many years, he could keep his tax obligations low.
How the City Came to Lease a Lemon|Lisa Halverstadt and Jesse Marx|August 10, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Obviously, the first obligation of all liberal democratic governments is to enforce the rule of law.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the obligation of citizens and journalists as well as governments.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“It is our Islamic obligation to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and give it our Islamic fealty,” he said.
ISIS Targets Afghanistan Just as the U.S. Quits|Sami Yousafzai, Christopher Dickey|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even the best of us can hurt the people who come to us for care when we forget that our foremost obligation is to them.
Why So Many Surgeons Are Psychos|Russell Saunders|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This government obligation is limited by practical considerations of safety and security.
The GOP’s Hidden Ban on Prison Abortions|Harold Pollack|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is an implied obligation on the hirer's part to use the car only for the purpose and in the manner for which it was hired.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
With this political subjection one is reluctant to associate a more sordid kind of obligation.
King Robert the Bruce|A. F. Murison
The swearing of an oath always brings under obligation to God, and therefore always includes the making of a vow.
The Ordinance of Covenanting|John Cunningham
If he carries these gratuitously his obligation is still less, nevertheless he must even then take some care of them.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
Sometimes a moral obligation to pay money is a good consideration for a promising to pay it.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles

British Dictionary definitions for obligation

obligation

/ (ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃən) /

noun

a moral or legal requirement; duty

the act of obligating or the state of being obligated

law a legally enforceable agreement to perform some act, esp to pay money, for the benefit of another party

law

a written contract containing a penalty
an instrument acknowledging indebtedness to secure the repayment of money borrowed

a person or thing to which one is bound morally or legally

something owed in return for a service or favour

a service or favour for which one is indebted

Derived forms of obligation

obligational, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

obligation

OTHER WORDS FOR obligation

Origin of obligation

synonym study for obligation

OTHER WORDS FROM obligation

Words nearby obligation

Words related to obligation

How to use obligation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obligation

Derived forms of obligation