obligated

[ob-li-gey-tid]

adjective

1. bound by law or regulation, moral principle, duty, etc.; obliged.

   My supervisors talked with me regularly about my ambitions and struggles, not because they felt obligated, but because they truly cared.

2. (of funds, property, etc.) pledged, committed, or bound, as to meet an obligation.

   If a parent is unable to pay the obligated amount, they are free to request the court to modify the child support order.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of obligate.

Other Word Forms

• nonobligated adjective
• quasi-obligated adjective
• unobligated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of obligated¹

First recorded in 1730–40; obligate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ); for the adjective senses; obligate ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Legally, the company is not obligated to make any public statements about the breach as long as it has notified all individuals affected through other means.

From BBC

The three-judge bench said on Sunday that the state was legally obligated to provide prisoners with enough nutrition to ensure "a basic level of existence".

From BBC

The portion, which the authority is obligated to prioritize unless the legislature says otherwise, will cost nearly $37 billion.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms Donaldson said she feels obligated to tell families about myopia management and that the College of Optometrists has said it is "best practise and we should be advising and telling our patients about it".

From BBC

The funding for the program had already been fully obligated and contracts for all recipients were signed, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compelled 
• duty-bound 
• enslaved 
• indebted 
• obliged