obliged
Americanadjective
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bound by duty, ethics, or politeness.
You can bring something to share at the picnic, but please don't feel obliged.
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forced by law, regulation, or necessity.
All students are obliged to participate in an internship program.
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appreciative or grateful.
If you could shed some light on this mystery, I'd be obliged.
verb
idioms
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of obliged
Explanation
Someone who is obliged is bound to follow through on whatever is expected of him. Every April you are obliged or expected to submit your taxes. If you don't, the IRS is obliged to charge you with tax evasion. Ouch. The word obliged comes from the Latin ligare meaning "to bind." Obliged typically refers to a moral or legal obligation or responsibility. If you're being followed by an ambulance with its siren on, you are obliged to pull to the side of the road and let it pass. In some cultures, women are obliged to cover their heads.
Vocabulary lists containing obliged
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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The Importance of Being Earnest
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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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.
Obliged to move back in with her family in the projects, Undine one day finds herself accosted by two women in the neighborhood.
From Washington Post • Aug. 28, 2019
Obliged to make the trek to No. 1 Court, where he had not played in three years, Federer surely could not have imagined how long his visit would turn out to be.
From New York Times • Jul. 11, 2018
Obliged to fulfil his contract, he released a succession of uninspired albums of odds, sods and studio jams.
From The Guardian • Apr. 23, 2016
Obliged to win now, they traded star-spangled No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins for Love.
From Forbes • Jan. 15, 2015
Nature, alas! why are thou so Obliged unto thy greatest foe?
From Notes and Queries, Number 233, April 15, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc by Various
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.
