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.
-
forced by law, regulation, or necessity.
All students are obliged to participate in an internship program.
-
appreciative or grateful.
If you could shed some light on this mystery, I'd be obliged.
verb
idioms
Other Word Forms
- obligedly adverb
- obligedness noun
- unobliged adjective
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.
Crucially, this in turn would massively help governments reduce their interest expense because bond markets are obliged to factor in risk aversion because they are focused on second-guessing inflation three months out.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
Bidgoli said he obliged because the numbers worked out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Attendants ultimately had to tell Lyonne the plane wouldn’t be going anywhere until the actor got off, to which she reportedly obliged.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
She played the album nonstop: “I was known not to take requests, but now I wouldn’t even change the album. Everyone in the bar was obliged to bathe in the sounds of the future.”
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
And even Jefferson, who was the first president to break with that tradition, felt obliged to do so surreptitiously, then issue blanket denials when confronted by Abigail.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
