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
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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:
It was something of an obsession, a harmless one, and we were happy to oblige.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
The offer is voluntary, but Frasers noted that it held a significant number of options on Hugo Boss shares that would put its stake above 30 percent and oblige it to make a buyout offer.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
“Listing agents are also culprits in this pattern, as they want to work with the celebrity and oblige their unrealistic expectations,” he explains.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
According to Mr. Talty, they were motivated by patriotism, noblesse oblige and philhellenism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
"Excuse me, sir. Would you kindly oblige by indicating whether Bearer should calendar your navy trousers for the morning?"
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
It is part of a broader investigation into TikTok under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which obliges companies that run popular digital platforms to do more to protect users from harmful content online.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 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
It is a reminder that the 1954 Hague Convention obliges warring parties to protect cultural property.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
After competitions, Gu is the one every media outlet wants to speak to, and she gracefully and politely obliges as she slowly shuffles through the mixed zone.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
A furious look dances in her eyes, but she obliges.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
That would give those with no support the opportunity to withdraw -- though they are not obliged.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Gina said she told Jacob she even wanted her engagement ring to be from a charity shop - and he duly obliged by spotting a "beautiful" piece in the Hope House store on Frodsham Street.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
That would give those with no support the opportunity to withdraw, though they are not obliged to.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
A utility whose data-center customers are contractually obliged to pay whether or not they draw the power is structurally safer than one still socializing costs through general rates.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
This means that scientists, although they may not be aware of it, are never obliged to adopt any particular theory: there are always alternatives that would work as well, indeed, for all we know, better.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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 the U.S. abandoned its bases in Greenland, it left the cleanup to Denmark despite the treaty obliging Washington to do it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
Cheddar is the classic choice, of course — bright, familiar, endlessly obliging — but there’s a whole constellation of cheeses that melt with equal charisma.
From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2025
But I wanted to leave things in order and not just trust that obliging and indifferent sea to sweep my refuse away.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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.
