How to Use obligation in a Sentence

obligation

noun
  • She failed to fulfill her obligations as a parent.
  • She believes that all people have a moral obligation to defend human rights.
  • He argues that people in a community have certain obligations to each other.
  • Gifts, to me, are not a chore and not an obligation.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
  • What are the teach-out obligations?
    — Christos Korgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
  • Those obligations were not met.
    — Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
  • For some, the heat and fasting obligations were too much to bear.
    — Ramin Mostaghim, latimes.com, 8 June 2018
  • Like their moral obligation, even.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Their debt obligations must be paid, even when their income drops.
    — Steven Pressman, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2020
  • There is no cost or obligation, and members can leave the co-op at any time.
    — Carol Kovach, cleveland, 18 Jan. 2022
  • That makes our obligation all the more urgent.
    — Elliott Broidy, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Just how crazy are the team’s media obligations?
    — Chad Graff, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
  • The City does not have an obligation to repay these bonds.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
  • An obligation to buy or a firm sale would be different.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
  • Is there an obligation for the Joker to put on a good show for the league?
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026
  • If the artist doesn’t really feel it, there is no obligation to do it.
    — Leila Cobo, Billboard, 15 Feb. 2024
  • Go full steam ahead and get a head start on upcoming projects and obligations.
    — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, 28 Aug. 2019
  • What obligation, if any, does an artist have to play the hits at a festival?
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2024
  • The order does not freeze your rent or relieve you from your obligation to pay back rent.
    — Anna Bahney, CNN, 2 Sep. 2020
  • That tax obligation then gets passed along each year to all the fund shareholders.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2024
  • And of course schools have a special obligation to keep the children in their care safe.
    — Lara Sorokanich, Popular Mechanics, 1 Aug. 2018
  • Naya's obligation to them—and to all of her fans—was obvious.
    — Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 July 2020
  • The list of family and friend obligations pile up fast.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
  • Hiding out from the obligation to pay on debt by taking on more debt doesn’t make any sense at all.
    — Peter Dunn, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2020
  • These meetings have become for me more like an obligation.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
  • His obligation in that moment was to his player.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Rent, student loans, and a credit card bill topped his obligations.
    — Hector Amezcua, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Grande added that labels know how a young star’s life will change and have the obligation to protect them.
    — Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Complaining about them doesn’t change the obligation to meet them.
    — Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Some are doing it out of a sense of duty or obligation to teammates.
    — Jeff McDonald, ExpressNews.com, 3 July 2020

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obligation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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