oblige
Americanverb (used with object)
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obliges,
present (3rd person singular)
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obliged,
past participle, past
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obliging
present participle
-
to require or constrain, as by law, command, conscience, or force of necessity.
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to bind morally or legally, as by a promise or contract.
- Synonyms:
- obligate
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to place under a debt of gratitude for some benefit, favor, or service.
I'm much obliged for the ride.
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to put (one) in a debt of gratitude, as by a favor or accommodation.
Mr. Weems will oblige us with a song.
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to make (an action, policy, etc.) necessary or obligatory.
Your carelessness obliges firmness on my part.
verb (used without object)
-
obliges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
obliged,
past participle, past
-
obliging
present participle
verb
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(tr; often passive) to bind or constrain (someone to do something) by legal, moral, or physical means
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(tr; usually passive) to make indebted or grateful (to someone) by doing a favour or service
we are obliged to you for dinner
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to do a service or favour to (someone)
she obliged the guest with a song
Usage
What does oblige mean? Oblige commonly means to politely do something for someone, as in He’s the kind of person who’s happy to oblige no matter what the request is. Someone who is accommodating in this way can be described as obliging. This sense of the word is sometimes used in a somewhat ironic way that likens a negative reaction to a polite one, as in He rudely told me to step aside and let him pass, and I was happy to oblige since I was standing in front of a huge mud puddle. Oblige also commonly means to require, compel, or constrain. This can imply a moral sense of duty or one based on conscience, as in It is her sense of duty that obliges her to make this sacrifice. Or it can imply an official or legal requirement, as in The contract obliges us to perform three nights a week. This sense of oblige is perhaps most often used in passive constructions, as in By contract, we are obliged to perform three nights a week. The similar verb obligate can be used to mean the same thing. The related noun obligation refers to a responsibility or duty that is required of someone. In other words, an obligation is something you are obliged or obligated to do. Something that’s required in such a way can be described with the related adjective obligatory. Sometimes, oblige means to put one in a debt of gratitude, such as for some favor or service. This sense of the word is especially used in the phrase much obliged, which can be used by itself as another way of saying thank you or in a sentence, as in We’re much obliged for all your hospitality. Example: There is no requirement that obliges us to help those who are less fortunate—but we should do it out of a moral obligation.
Synonym Usage
Oblige, accommodate imply making a gracious and welcome gesture of some kind. Oblige emphasizes the idea of conferring a favor or benefit (and often of taking some trouble to do it): to oblige someone with a loan. Accommodate emphasizes doing a service or furnishing a convenience: to accommodate someone with lodgings and meals.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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obligesimple
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obligessimple
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have obligedperfect
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has obligedperfect
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am obligingprogressive
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are obligingprogressive
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is obligingprogressive
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have been obligingperfect progressive
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has been obligingperfect progressive
Past
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obligedsimple
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had obligedperfect
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was obligingprogressive
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were obligingprogressive
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had been obligingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of oblige
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English obligen, from Old French obligier, from Latin obligāre “to bind”; see obligate
Explanation
To oblige is to do something you have to, because you're bound by either good manners or the law. You are obliged to pay back your student loans, or for your portion of the dinner bill. You may also feel obliged to bring a gift if you're invited to a wedding. You can also tip your cowboy hat and be "much obliged" if someone does you a favor. The French phrase, noblesse oblige means basically that "privilege entails responsibility," or that the wealthy are obliged to do something productive in the world and not just sit around polishing their silver spoons.
Vocabulary lists containing oblige
List 2
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They seemed happy to oblige, apparently assured that they’d be cut in on whatever deal the U.S. had in mind.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
The seller, from Western Colorado, was happy to oblige my “provenance” question, as if I were inquiring about an antique Cartier watch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
"Content farms and internet trolls are happy to oblige them."
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Members of the general public ask for them, including for their children, and doctors happily oblige, says Mir.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
Well, Mrs. Weston, you have prevailed, I hope, and these ladies will oblige us.”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
The Financial Accounting Standards Board responded to the post-crisis criticism with CECL, which obliges banks to apply forward-looking estimates of expected credit losses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Finally, the series rests on the shoulders of the three principal players, who are just a pleasure to watch; the camera obliges by moving in close.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026
The new system obliges third-country nationals - including Britons - who enter the Schengen free travel zone to register biometric information, including facial scans and fingerprints.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
Russia and North Korea signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2024 that obliges either side to provide "military and other assistance" should the other be attacked.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
Nikhil obliges, fully asleep, sits upright, then closes his eyes again.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Takahashi, however, said TikTok was "no longer obliged to delete" the videos in question because the anonymous user behind them had taken them down several months after the lawsuit began.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
And the people who love them are obliged to make friends with a stranger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Perhaps these international festivals are testing their own waters to see if they’re obliged to invite Americans to their party.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Airlines are still obliged to get passengers to their destinations - even if that is via another carrier - when their flight is cancelled, or give a refund.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
I was obliged to answer in some confusion, “I don’t think I am, ma’am.”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
It described him as "obliging and gregarious" and stated there was no evidence he had extremist views.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Brazil has in recent months sought to boost protections for children online, obliging platforms to link the accounts of users under age 16 to their parents' accounts, and verify user age.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
“Promoters are keen to expand and capture new market share, often reflected in artist contracts obliging the latter to tour in certain geographies, Europe being one of them,” the Bernstein analysts said.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026
When Rana’s curiosity leads her far from home, she must call on her memory of her mother’s stories and, with the help of an obliging polar bear, find her own way back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026
Indeed, he was a man of some six feet three inches, and his countenance, though reassuring while one knew he was intent on obliging, could seem extremely forbidding viewed in certain other contexts.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
