obligated
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
(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
Other Word Forms
- nonobligated adjective
- quasi-obligated adjective
- unobligated adjective
Etymology
Origin of obligated
First recorded in 1730–40; obligate ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ); for the adjective senses; obligate ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
Explanation
It could be going to a baby shower, buying someone lunch, or turning in your research paper by Tuesday. If you have to do it — even if you'd rather not — then you’re obligated. Obligated can mean that you have to do something because the law or the rules say that you do. For example, you’re obligated to pay your taxes by April 15. It can also mean that you just feel like you need to do something because it’s the right thing to do or because you feel like you owe someone. You’re obligated to go to your best friend’s birthday party, even though you’d rather be out with your new boyfriend.
Vocabulary lists containing obligated
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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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.
“If you have status on an airline, they are more obligated to give you something if you have a bad experience, because they do care about that,” she said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
But unlike nontraded BDCs, interval funds are obligated to offer to buy back at least 5% of shares a quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Ethir said she believes the department has not provided all the records it is legally obligated to give the officers.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Under the agreement with CoreWeave, the firm is obligated to provide $500 million in bridge financing through the end of March, “and that commitment remains fully in place,” it said.
From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026
If it gets too late, I feel obligated to drop them off on my way home.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
