obligation

noun

ˌä-blə-ˈgā-shən How to pronounce obligation (audio)
Definition of obligationnext
1
as in duty
something one must do because of prior agreement their financial obligations keep them from giving to charities as much as they would like

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in debt
something (as money) which is owed I have to pay off my current obligations before I can buy a new car

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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 obligation The referendum would authorize Miami to issue $450 million in general obligation bonds to repair or replace deteriorating police and fire-rescue facilities, including construction of a new public safety building near Miami Freedom Park. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 Removing unnecessary duplication, clarifying obligations and making rules easier to comply with can strengthen the Single Market and make European companies more competitive. — Ben Vanpeperstraete, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026 That put in doubt the ability of talk shows like The View to book candidates without facing obligations to offer time, if requested, to their rivals. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026 Soldiers on either side of a war have the same rights and the same obligations, regardless of which side is more broadly in the right. — Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obligation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligation
  1. duty
  2. debt
  3. responsibility
  4. need
  5. commitment
Noun
  • The schools would share the Final Four administrative duties.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026
  • In each of the future belligerent countries, elite schools would have long regarded it as their duty to instill in their pupils, the officer class in the making, a martial spirit.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of duty
Noun
  • Paying down high-interest debt frees up more room in the budget.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Traditional credit monitoring generally will not detect the misuse itself, although unpaid debts could eventually create other financial complications.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of debt
Noun
  • Rushing went through a learning curve juggling his defensive and offensive responsibilities, and navigating intense online scrutiny of his outbursts on the field and in the dugout.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Enroll your baby before the clock runs out Ensuring your newborn has health coverage is one of the first paperwork responsibilities that parents face in the whirlwind of bringing a baby home.
    — Stephanie O'Neill, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of responsibility
Noun
  • Start with the community With a pragmatic and fair approach, data center infrastructure can operate from a combination of baseload fuels, battery storage, and renewables, while prioritizing community needs and impacts.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than as a one-time session, our survivorship clinic builds relationships with survivors, supporting them as their needs change over time.
    — Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of need
Noun
  • Nvidia's most recent quarterly financial filing in August outlined over $500 billion in off-balance-sheet commitments over the coming years, with a majority maturing through fiscal 2029.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Biden administration also had a commitment to AI safety that annoyed AI companies.
    — Nina Verdelli, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of commitment

Browse Nearby Words

obligating
obligation
obligations
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Cite this Entry

“Obligation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligation. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obligation

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