obligation

American  

[ob-li-gay-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

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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

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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

Equita notes the transaction is structured to avoid the obligation to launch a tender offer, with approval by BPM’s shareholders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026

But cooperation becomes ethically troubling when loyalty to an individual displaces the obligation to question, deliberate and act independently.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2026

“I feel like artists have an obligation to say something meaningful.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

Employers in the UK are currently allowed to ask you how much you get paid in your current role, but applicants are under no obligation to tell them.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

The central doctrine of liberation theology was that the Catholic Church had an obligation to provide a “preferential option for the poor.”

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

The higher obligations represent real losses, because they mean greater costs for Boeing on deeply unfavorable contracts at below-market prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026

A spokesperson said: ''Local authorities have a statutory duty to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and care leavers, and we are committed to working closely with them to help them meet these obligations.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

You also have no debt, no mortgage and no outstanding obligations to your adult children.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

For now, Ippolito is trying to stay present and enjoy the ride, which currently involves back-to-back travel and promotional obligations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Vincent's letter arrives at Etten on Saturday evening, and Pa leaves for The Hague on Monday morning, which is as soon as he can after his church obligations.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman

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Related Words

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

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