mandatory

adjective

ˈman-də-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce mandatory (audio)
Definition of mandatorynext
as in compulsory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law the tests are mandatory for all students wishing to graduate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mandatory The initiative specifically targets performers who coerce visitors for cash or falsely imply that tipping is mandatory, FOX5 said. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 Charlotte’s water utility has fielded about 18 complaints a day of people violating mandatory water restrictions in place since mid-May, when the region was facing an extreme drought crisis. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026 Proficiency in Greek was once mandatory at many American universities. — Linda G. Mills, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Military service is mandatory for most groups in Israel, although Muslim and Christian Arab citizens are generally exempted. — Hannah Ridge, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mandatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mandatory
  1. compulsory
  2. required
  3. incumbent
  4. necessary
Adjective
  • Ben-Gvir was considered so extreme that the Israeli military barred him from compulsory service.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Ultra-Orthodox political leaders have demanded a law to formalize the group's broad exemption from the draft, but one that would also determine a percentage of ultra-Orthodox men and women who would be subject to compulsory service.
    — Dov Lieber, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • The agency said any contractor who has not completed required screening will not be authorized to perform mail-handling duties until those requirements are met.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • If the council follows staff’s recommendation during its Wednesday meeting, the project would retain its current approvals, subject to the required conditions.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • The incumbent senator accused his critics of lying about the controversy before acknowledging that his office sent patients with unpaid bills to collections.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • With just two weeks to go until Election Night, sky-high utility bills have become a major issue in the Los Angeles mayor's race, with both incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Nithya Raman promising action.
    — Tom Wait, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of incumbent
Adjective
  • The current job climate is creating conditions where pushing past your limits may feel necessary for career survival.
    — Melody Wilding, Contributor, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Successfully navigating those kinds of conflicts will be key if Sharma is to build up the authority and credibility necessary to get Xbox back on track.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of necessary

Browse Nearby Words

mandating
mandatory
mandible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mandatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mandatory. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All