Standard Lemma guide

mandatory

adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmæn.də.t(ə)ɹi/
  • UK, uncommon: /mænˈdeɪ.tə.ɹi/
  • US: /ˈmæn.dəˌt(ɔ)ɹi/
  • /ˈmɛən.dəˌtɔɹ.i/ æ-raising
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M AE1 N D AH0 T AO2 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

obligatory; required or commanded by authority.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Attendance at a school is usually mandatory for children.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compulsory, obligatory, binding, compulsatory, decretory, forced, imperative, involuntary, mandatory, nonoptional, required, unbewised, unvoluntary

Antonyms: optional, elective, discretionary, facultative, free, noncompulsory, nonmandatory, nonobligate, nonobligatory, nonrequired, nonrequisite, optionary, unrequired, volitional, voluntary

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, being or relating to a mandate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Mandatory Palestine

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A sign or line that require the path of the disc to be above, below or to one side of it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: disc golf

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mando

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A person, organisation or state who receives a mandate; a mandatary.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

required by rule

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • in most schools physical education is compulsory
  • attendance is mandatory
  • required reading

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compulsory, required

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a territory surrendered by Turkey or Germany after World War I and put under the tutelage of some other European power until they are able to stand by themselves

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mandate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: district, territory, territorial dominion, dominion

Narrower terms: Palestine

7

noun

Meaning 7

the recipient of a mandate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mandatary

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: recipient, receiver

History

Etymology

From Late Latin mandatorius (“of or belonging to a mandator”), from mandātor (“one who commands”), equivalent to mandate + -ory; see mandate.

Across languages

Translations

51 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: verpligte — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Afrikaans: verpligtend — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Arabic: إِجْبَارِيّ (ʔijbāriyy) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Arabic: مَفْرُوض (mafrūḍ) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Armenian: պարտադիր (partadir) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Belarusian: абавязко́вы (abavjazkóvy) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Bengali: ফরজ (fôrz) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Bengali: ওয়াজিব (ōẇajibo) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Bulgarian: задължителен (zadǎlžitelen) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Catalan: obligatori — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Chinese Mandarin: 強制 /强制 (qiángzhì) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Czech: povinný — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Danish: obligatorisk — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Dutch: verplicht — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Dutch: nodig — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Esperanto: deviga — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Estonian: kohustuslik — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Estonian: sunduslik — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Estonian: sund- — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Finnish: pakollinen — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Finnish: pakko- — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • French: obligatoire — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • French: requis — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • German: obligatorisch — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • German: vorgeschrieben — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • German: zwingend notwendig — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Greek: υποχρεωτικός (ypochreotikós) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Hebrew: הכרחי — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Hindi: अनिवार्य (anivārya) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Hungarian: kötelező — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Indonesian: wajib — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Italian: obbligatorio — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Italian: richiesto — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Italian: necessario — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Japanese: 強制的な (kyōseiteki-na) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Kazakh: міндетті (mındettı) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Khmer: ចាំបាច់ (cambac) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Korean: 의무적인 (uimujeogin) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Malayalam: നിർബന്ധം (niṟbandhaṁ) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Māori: whakature — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Norwegian: obligatorisk — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Polish: obowiązkowy — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Portuguese: obrigatório — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Portuguese: mandatório — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Russian: обяза́тельный (objazátelʹnyj) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Spanish: obligatorio — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Spanish: necesario — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Spanish: mandatorio — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Swedish: obligatorisk — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Turkish: zorunlu — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
  • Ukrainian: обов'язко́вий (obovʺjazkóvyj) — obligatory — see also obligatory, compulsory
Real reading context

mandatory in complete knowledge articles

Dmitry Bivol People & society · Developing · 14 uses Greek identity card Ideas & learning · Advanced · 5 uses Mamacita (album) Arts & music · Challenging · 3 uses Area code 985 Science & nature · Advanced · 1 uses Buck Lodge Middle School Everyday life · Developing · 1 uses Nepenthes rowaniae Science & nature · Advanced · 1 uses