obliged 1 of 2

1
as in obligated
being under obligation for a favor or gift my new neighbor gave me a Christmas present, and now I feel obliged to reciprocate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

obliged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of oblige

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obliged
Verb
In all but three cases, Biden obliged. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024 Last, but not least, as the host of a party you are never obliged to serve a wine that a guest has brought. Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 The Duchess is no longer bound by the same rigid expectations (unspoken or otherwise) she was obliged to take into consideration as a core member of the Firm. Kerry McDermott, Vogue, 20 Dec. 2024 Theaters obliged by dropping the latter; and stars such as Joseph Grimaldi and his slapstick ilk gradually moved over to circus entertainment, where clown work fit right in. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024 When a small school in Georgia obliged, Iltchev jumped at the opportunity, quickly improving his English and parlaying his talent as a youth champion at tennis back in Bulgaria into another scholarship to a small Christian college in South Carolina. Alex Konrad, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 The word for the fifth-act climax of risotto—the scene in which the butter (preferably cold, from the fridge) and the Parmesan are brought onstage and obliged to mingle with the other characters—is mantecatura. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 The scoreboard operator obliged but restarted the clock after several seconds had elapsed. Ben Standig, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024 The shooter obliged, pulling down his mask long enough for the surveillance camera to capture his face. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 6 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliged
Adjective
  • If anything, the 1,101 people who have been sentenced in connection with the insurrection should be thankful that the cops weren't told to fire on them.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Elizabeth Chambers is thankful for her 2024 holiday season.
    Jen Juneau, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The bipartisan vote for release marks a significant shift, as Republicans in the full House had previously blocked two Democratic resolutions that would have compelled the report's release.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Without China making the first move, Chinese firms will be compelled by genuine market forces rather than often heavy-handed and inefficient state mandates to realize Xi’s vision.
    Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Maria Cisneros, who has boys ages 5 and 13 in local schools, was appreciative.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
  • The television audience was estimated at up to 30 million in the U.S. and internationally. Singers and dancers, marching bands, horseback riders, and floats from communities, organizations and corporations passed an appreciative audience.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • What kind of life had el-Masry lived—in which small encounters such as those between him and Thadeus became fraught with meaning, and grateful acknowledgment was offered through the posthumous bequeathing of goods that in a normal life would have been left to family near and far, to true friends?
    Han Ong, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Everyone just seems grateful for a little help ensuring the fire-prone mountain town is not the next one wiped off the map.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Amtrak will waive additional charges for customers who change their reservation, and most customers were accommodated on other trains, according to a spokesperson.
    Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Neurodiversity will be better accommodated at work Half of neurodivergent employees want to quit their jobs, or already have, due to not being supported by their employer.
    Sally Percy, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Ratcliffe’s defenders say that his role as the DNI obligated him to speak up, even if that meant straying into red-hot political topics.
    Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Starting in 2028, all businesses in Germany will be obligated to issue electronic invoices.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But the City by the Bay was not the only one with glad tidings.
    Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
  • So glad The Athletic finally has a team dedicated to creating data visualizations!
    Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Chamberlain was a British prime minister who appeased Nazi Germany during its rise.
    Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2024
  • In some eerie festivals, the dead who return from the other side are to be feared, avoided or appeased to stop them from doing harm to the living.
    Matt Ralphs, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Oct. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Obliged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliged. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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