1
as in duty
something one must do because of prior agreement
their financial obligations keep them from giving to charities as much as they would like
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in debt
something (as money) which is owed
I have to pay off my current obligations before I can buy a new car
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obligation
Current remaining performance obligation (cRPO) growth of roughly 10% on a GAAP basis, or 9% on a constant-currency basis.
—
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 29 May 2025
The city has set up financial trusts to help pay down its pension obligations, a solution that the new report credits for slowing the growth of money owed to past workers long after their retirements.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Children do not have a right to access alcohol, tobacco, drugs, firearms, automobiles, pornography, obscenity or any other dangerous material and public libraries have no obligation to provide it to them.
—Opinion Staff, Oc Register, 27 May 2025
Small slivers of the population in cities, towns, and counties across the U.S., nearly every spring, are able to saddle their fellow residents with millions and in some cases billions of dollars worth of new tax and spending obligation.
—Patrick Gleason, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 29 May 2025
The city has set up financial trusts to help pay down its pension obligations, a solution that the new report credits for slowing the growth of money owed to past workers long after their retirements.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Children do not have a right to access alcohol, tobacco, drugs, firearms, automobiles, pornography, obscenity or any other dangerous material and public libraries have no obligation to provide it to them.
—Opinion Staff, Oc Register, 27 May 2025
Small slivers of the population in cities, towns, and counties across the U.S., nearly every spring, are able to saddle their fellow residents with millions and in some cases billions of dollars worth of new tax and spending obligation.
—Patrick Gleason, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obligation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligation
Noun
-
The employees had worked for the United States Digital Service, but said their duties had been integrated into DOGE.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
29 May 2025
-
The federal court ruling aimed at striking down the majority of President Donald Trump's tariffs could force the government to pay back billions of dollars in import duties that have already been collected.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Then, in a flurry of new moves in early May, officials sought to offset the impact of the Trump's tariffs, which threatened to further trouble an economy already beset by a property crisis, falling consumer demand and a high level of local government debt.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
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Moreover, $14 trillion in U.S. debt maturing soon will be refinanced — likely at higher rates, noted CNBC.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Kansas City’s City Council voted unanimously in March for city employees to take on direct responsibility of animal control.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2025
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The president does not have the power to appoint the NPG director; instead, that responsibility is meant to be in the hands of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Predicting how technology will change our relationship with terminology is challenging, but the need for precise scientific language, including the names of species, will never go away.—
Nicholas Green,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
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The bill defines companion chatbots as AI systems capable of meeting the social needs of users.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The former — the college commitment — came a year ago.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
26 May 2025
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Cruise, though, is very determined to remind us just how much physical commitment his action work requires.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obligation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligation. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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