obligation

American  

[ob-li-gey-shuhn] / ˌɒb lɪˈgeɪ ʃən /

noun

obligations plural

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.

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obligation British  

/ 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

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Synonym Usage

See duty.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• obligations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of obligation

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

Explanation

An obligation is a duty. It's your obligation or responsibility to call your mom on Mother's Day. Sending flowers would be even better. When you are morally or legally bound to a particular commitment, it's your obligation to follow through on it. If you see a crime taking place, for example, it's your obligation to notify the police. If an elderly person comes onto a full bus, it's your obligation to give up your seat for him. Sometimes when you enter a formal agreement with someone involving money, you might have to sign an obligation that states you are committed to paying back what you've borrowed.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

obligation obligations

In her view, sociology has an obligation to engage with the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Malcolm-Jamal also agreed in their prenup to maintain and contribute the maximum annual amount to a Roth IRA account for his wife, a financial obligation worth $30,500, according to court documents.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

In the case of Garnacho, a loan with an obligation to buy could still be regarded as part of a swap deal because the 'purchase' has been agreed within 45 days of Rogers' transfer.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

“In many states, spouses have a legal obligation to support each other. If one spouse needs long-term nursing home care the assets of the other may be used to pay bills,” it adds.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

He spoke of her duty, her obligation, her natural love for her parents.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Even the European Union, which Albania hopes to join in 2030, has spoken out on the country's failure to meet obligations under Chapter 27, which relates to the environment and climate change.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

“The full amount of the obligations described herein remains due,” the complaint said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Usually the only way around those obligations is bankruptcy, said Russell McRory, a New York attorney who represents dealers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

I find myself caught between a sense of duty and uncertainty about what obligations I actually have — or, for that matter, what obligations I am prepared to take on.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

“Are you avoiding the subject at hand? Using social obligations to ignore the uncomfortable issue?”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

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