obligation
- duty
‘obligation’ and ‘duty’
If you say that someone has an obligation to do something or a duty to do something, you mean that they ought to do it, because it is their responsibility. When obligation and duty are used like this, they have the same meaning.
When teachers assign homework, students usually feel an obligation to do it.
Perhaps it was his duty to tell the police what he had seen.
‘duties’
Your duties are the things that you do as part of your job.
She has been given a reasonable time to learn her duties.
They also have to carry out many administrative duties.
Be careful
Don't refer to the things that you do as part of your job as ‘obligations’.
Don't refer to the things that you do as part of your job as ‘obligations’.