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.
A new pope’s first encyclical is always news, and Pope Leo XIV obliged on Monday with a nearly 43,000-word effort warning about artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
The risk of cryptosporidium meant residents in some parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf have been obliged to boil their tap water before drinking, cooking or brushing teeth since last Friday.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Almodóvar says he felt obliged to say something, but also notes that he can return to Spain where he lives and works.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
If the S&P 500 starts to outperform Russell 2000, then they will be obliged to shift weightings to avoid underperforming benchmarks.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
But her commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her ladyship’s praise into his own hands.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
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.
