obligation

[ ob-li-gey-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: obligationobligations on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. something by which a person is bound or obliged to do certain things, and which arises out of a sense of duty or results from custom, law, etc.

  2. something that is done or is to be done for such reasons: to fulfill one's obligations.

  1. a binding promise, contract, sense of duty, etc.

  2. the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise, contract, etc.

  3. Law.

    • an agreement enforceable by law, originally applied to promises under seal.

    • a document containing such an agreement.

    • a bond containing a penalty, with a condition annexed for payment of money, performance of covenants, etc.

  4. any bond, note, bill, certificate, or the like, as of a government or a corporation, serving as evidence of indebtedness.

  5. an indebtedness or amount of indebtedness.

  6. a favor, service, or benefit for which gratitude is due.

  7. a debt of gratitude: He felt an obligation to his teacher.

  8. the state of being under a debt, as of gratitude, for a favor, service, or benefit.

Origin of obligation

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English obligacioun, from Old French obligation, from Latin obligātiōn-, stem of obligātiō “bond, engagement, pledge,” from obligāt(us) “bound” (past participle of obligāre; see obligate) + -iō -ion

synonym study For obligation

1. See duty.

Other words for obligation

Other words from obligation

  • pre·ob·li·ga·tion, noun
  • re·ob·li·ga·tion, noun
  • su·per·ob·li·ga·tion, noun

Words Nearby obligation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use obligation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obligation

obligation

/ (ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃən) /


noun
  1. a moral or legal requirement; duty

  2. the act of obligating or the state of being obligated

  1. law a legally enforceable agreement to perform some act, esp to pay money, for the benefit of another party

  2. law

    • a written contract containing a penalty

    • an instrument acknowledging indebtedness to secure the repayment of money borrowed

  3. a person or thing to which one is bound morally or legally

  4. something owed in return for a service or favour

  5. a service or favour for which one is indebted

Derived forms of obligation

  • obligational, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012