to compel, constrain, or oblige morally or legally (in the US) to bind (property, funds, etc) as security
compelled, bound, or restricted able to exist under only one set of environmental conditions
Comparefacultative 4
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ob•li•gate /ˈɑblɪˌgeɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object + to + verb], -gat•ed, -gat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make (someone) feel or understand that some action is morally or legally necessary:The contract obligates you to pay on time.
ob•li•gate
(v. ob′li gāt′;adj. ob′li git, -gāt′),USA pronunciation v. -gat•ed, -gat•ing, adj.
v.t.
adj.
ob•li•ga•ble
(ob′li gə bəl),USA pronunciation adj.
ob′li•ga′tor, n.
v.t.
- to bind or oblige morally or legally:to obligate oneself to purchase a building.
- to pledge, commit, or bind (funds, property, etc.) to meet an obligation.
adj.
- morally or legally bound;
obliged;
constrained. - necessary;
essential. - Ecology[Biol.]restricted to a particular condition of life, as certain organisms that can survive only in the absence of oxygen:obligate anaerobe(opposed to facultative).
- Latin obligātus (past participle of obligāre to bind), equivalent. to ob- ob- + ligātus; see ligate
- late Middle English obligat (adjective, adjectival) 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'be obligated to' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):