obligation

[ob-li-gey-shuhn]

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.

   Synonyms: responsibility

2. something that is done or is to be done for such reasons.

   to fulfill one's obligations.

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

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

5. Law.

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

   2. a document containing such an agreement.

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

   Synonyms: covenant, contract

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

7. an indebtedness or amount of indebtedness.

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

9. a debt of gratitude.

   He felt an obligation to his teacher.

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

obligation

/ ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃən /

noun

1. a moral or legal requirement; duty

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

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

4. law

   1. a written contract containing a penalty

   2. an instrument acknowledging indebtedness to secure the repayment of money borrowed

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

6. something owed in return for a service or favour

7. a service or favour for which one is indebted

Other Word Forms

• preobligation noun
• reobligation noun
• superobligation noun
• obligational adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of obligation¹

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; obligate ) + -iō -ion

Synonym Study

See duty.

Example Sentences

"The judgment… imposes very far reaching, but also open ended and obscure obligations on member states," argues Prof Ekins.

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"Once full end-to-end encryption is rolled out, even we won't have access to the content of user conversations. We will be transparent with our users about any legal obligations," he said.

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Camille Labchuk, executive director of Canadian animal rights group Animal Justice, said Marineland had "a moral obligation to fund the future care of these animal", adding that threats to euthanise the animals were "reprehensible".

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Greene is “a powerful free agent with considerable self-regard and a big chip on her shoulder,” Karni wrote, adding she “appears to feel no obligation to anyone in Washington.”

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The Tories argue they can reduce the bill by reviewing exemptions for the Household Benefit Cap, limiting the VAT subsidy for Motability - which allows claimants to lease vehicles - and changing obligations for job-seekers.

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Related Words

• accountability 
• agreement 
• bond 
• burden 
• commitment 
• constraint 
• contract 
• debt 
• duty 
• liability 
• necessity 
• need 
• promise 
• requirement 
• right 
• trust 
• understanding