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.
MPs are obliged to declare any financial support they received up to a year before their election.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
Guardianship companies are not obliged to protect their deposits or carry out repairs not specifically provided for in the agreement.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
A utility whose data-center customers are contractually obliged to pay whether or not they draw the power is structurally safer than one still socializing costs through general rates.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Salvadoran referee Iván Barton immediately pointed to the spot and Oyarzabal stepped up and obliged, beating French keeper Mike Maignan into the side netting at the right post for his fifth goal of the tournament.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
I was obliged to answer in some confusion, “I don’t think I am, ma’am.”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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.
