Standard Lemma guide

obligate

adj · noun · verb · 11 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: ŏbʹlĭ-gĭt
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɒb.lɪ.ɡɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: ŏʹblĭ-gĭt
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈɑ.blɪ.ɡɪt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: ŏbʹlĭ-gāt'
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: ŏʹblĭ-gāt'
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈɑ.blɪˌɡeɪt/
  • CMU ARPABET: AA1 B L AH0 G EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Requiring a (specified) way of life, habitat, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Indispensable; essential; necessary; obligatory; mandatory; unavoidably invoked.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • In addition to being the obligate food source for monarch caterpillars, milkweeds also provide abundant nectar for the adult butterflies.
  • In some languages such signaling is optional, whereas in others it is obligate.

Meaning relationships

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

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

3

adj

Meaning 3

Bound by oath, law or duty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An obligate organism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, Scotland, US, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, Scotland, US, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective

Meaning 8

restricted to a particular condition of life

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: facultative

9

verb

Meaning 9

bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He's held by a contract
  • I'll hold you by your promise

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oblige, bind, hold

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: relate

Narrower terms: pledge, article, indenture, indent, tie down

10

verb

Meaning 10

commit in order to fulfill an obligation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • obligate money

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: entrust, intrust, trust, confide, commit

11

verb

Meaning 11

force somebody to do something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We compel all students to fill out this form

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compel, oblige

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: induce, stimulate, cause, have, get, make

Narrower terms: force, thrust, walk, coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure, clamor, condemn, shame, enforce, implement, apply, impose

History

Etymology

Partly inherited from Middle English obligat(e) (“bound (by any obligation), obliged”), partly directly borrowed from Latin obligātus, see Etymology 1, -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix) for more.

First attested in 1533; borrowed from Latin obligātus, perfect passive participle of obligō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of oblige, taken through French.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Norwegian Bokmål: obligat — Able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role
  • Norwegian Bokmål: tvungen — Able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role
  • Norwegian Bokmål: uten valgmulighet — Able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role
  • Russian: облига́тный (obligátnyj) — Able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role
  • Bulgarian: задължен (zadǎlžen) — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Bulgarian: неотменен (neotmenen) — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Finnish: obligaatti — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Finnish: välttämätön — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Portuguese: exigido — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Portuguese: essencial — Absolutely indispensable; essential
  • Bulgarian: задължавам (zadǎlžavam) — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Finnish: velvoittaa — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Greek: υποχρεώνω (ypochreóno) — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Hindi: बाध्य (bādhya) — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Latin: obligō — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Latin: teneo — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Polish: zobowiązywać — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Polish: zobowiązać — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Portuguese: obrigação — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Spanish: obligar — to bind, compel, or constrain by a social, legal, or moral tie
  • Portuguese: obrigação — to commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation
Real reading context

obligate in complete knowledge articles

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