Synonym Chooser

How is the word oblige different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of oblige are coerce, compel, constrain, and force. While all these words mean "to make someone or something yield," oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

When would coerce be a good substitute for oblige?

Although the words coerce and oblige have much in common, coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

When might compel be a better fit than oblige?

The words compel and oblige can be used in similar contexts, but compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

When can constrain be used instead of oblige?

The meanings of constrain and oblige largely overlap; however, constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

Where would force be a reasonable alternative to oblige?

While the synonyms force and oblige are close in meaning, force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

Example 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 oblige Friction point: Carter wrote that the council was obliged to follow precedent in deciding the zoning appeal, and that city officials had formally determined that a truck facility was an appropriate use for the property. Kyle Stokes, Axios, 20 Mar. 2025 The President is of course obliged to obey lawful congressional statutes. Jeannie Suk Gersen, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2025 They are obliged to tolerate each other in sharing and navigating this dangerous and uncompromising new world. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2025 Ball Arena obliged, but only gradually, until Murray cupped his hand to his ear asking for more. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oblige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oblige
Verb
  • Other upcoming vehicles will also be developed to accommodate traditional internal combustion, hybrids and E-power.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The government has since decided to reopen the application process to accommodate new applications.
    Marta Abbà, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Do judges have the power to compel the administration to change its behavior?
    Patrick Reis, Vox, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Cabinet members and other White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, claimed Monday morning that the ruling had actually been in the administration's favor and did not compel them to bring back Abrego Garcia.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The key lesson of Munich is that appeasing aggressive authoritarian regimes in the hope of preserving peace emboldens them to pursue even greater acts of expansion and violence.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The compromise appeased Luna, but not the Democratic sponsors of the underlying legislation — Reps. Brittany Pettersen (Colo.) and Sara Jacobs (Calif.) — who are accusing Johnson of watering down their parental-empowerment proposal while abandoning lawmakers with young families.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The administration is threatening to withhold federal money from universities as a way to coerce many of them to comply with administration policies in ways that implicate free speech and in some instances violate legal processes for the withholding of federal support.
    Daniel Hall, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Its alliances were coerced, its innovations lagged behind, and its industrial system collapsed under its own contradictions.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Aleksander Barkov assists on both Reinhart goals to increase his total to 51 on the season.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Doctor Who historians know Marsh for her portrayal of Sara Kingdom, who ably assists William Hartnell’s Doctor in his fight against the mutant Daleks, on the third season of the BBC sci-fi series in 1965-66.
    Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Five years after the pandemic forced children into remote instruction, two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders still cannot read at grade level.
    K. Dara Hill, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Such environments can force the plane downward, disrupt its ability to climb, or reduce lift on the wings, according to aviation experts.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This helps put big companies and small companies on a level playing field.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The pants have a high, wide waistband that helps create a smooth silhouette from top to bottom too.
    Korin Miller, Glamour, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • We are obligated not only to seek justice for ourselves, but also to protect the rights and freedoms afforded to all people.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025
  • One caution: a pre-listing inspection obligates the seller to disclose or repair deficiencies.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Oblige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oblige. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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