as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the problem is of your own making, so don't think that you can obligate me to help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 obligate
If a FinTech company were to deny a loan, they would be legally obligated to tell the consumer why their loan application was rejected.
—
William Mullane, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
The court ruled the employer wasn’t obligated to remind an employee specifically who was listed as beneficiary.
—Bob Carlson, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2024
That includes obligating funds in Biden's four signature pieces of legislation: The American Rescue Plan, The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Hans Nichols, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obligate 
William Mullane, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
The court ruled the employer wasn’t obligated to remind an employee specifically who was listed as beneficiary.
—Bob Carlson, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 12 Dec. 2024
That includes obligating funds in Biden's four signature pieces of legislation: The American Rescue Plan, The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Hans Nichols, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obligate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligate
Verb
-
Garcia said he was compelled to act given that nearly two dozen of the top 50 QBs for 2026 already have made commitments.Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
-
Some digital law experts worry that the DSA’s risk assessment and risk mitigation provisions could be interpreted to compel platforms to remove speech, even if the law doesn’t directly require the removal of certain harmful content.Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
The alternative to accommodation is for the United States to coerce South Korea into giving up on nuclearization by threatening economic sanctions and exclusion from the market for nuclear materials.Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
-
Terrorism requires the death to be intended to intimidate or coerce the population or influence government policy.Erin Keller, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Police in riot gear used tear gas to force protesters away from the White House; then Trump was escorted to the nearby church along with several administration officials.David Sterling Brown, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2025
-
In the last presidential election, a member from each chamber needed to object to the count to force lawmakers to debate and vote on whether to accept or reject a state's results.Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Another clue is that, as a brand ambassador, Zendaya is contractually obliged to only wear jewelry by Bulgari during red carpet appearances.Kate Matthams, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
-
Under international law, the finding does not oblige the U.S. to take action, although officials said the sanctions provide some immediate teeth to the measure.Declan Walsh, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near obligate
Cite this Entry
“Obligate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share