obligatory

adjective

ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce obligatory (audio)
Definition of obligatorynext
1
as in mandatory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law in this state, school attendance is obligatory until the age of 16

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull the obligatory cliff-hanger endings for season finales of TV shows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obligatory The mahr — the obligatory dowry the groom must pay under Islamic law — comes on top of that, as does the apartment, furniture, and expectation of ongoing household support. — Wael Mahdi, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 Jason Derulo is a hitmaker, Ty Dolla $ign is the obligatory feature on every song, and Top 40 radio is engineered for bottle service. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026 Bags big and small should also be an obligatory purchase, since there’s a wide selection of crossbody purses, shoulder bags, and more, on sale. — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 The songs from the original are all back and arranged identically, with the obligatory new song relegated to the end credits. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligatory
  1. mandatory
  2. stereotyped
  3. compulsory
  4. tired
  5. required
  6. usual
  7. incumbent
  8. commonplace
Adjective
  • The fallout of this fraud included several new state-level fiscal accountability reforms for all New York school districts, including stricter internal controls, mandatory board oversight and independent auditor requirements.
    — Kathryn Blackman, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Due to the business’s small, quaint space, reservations are mandatory.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of mandatory
Adjective
  • Despite their outer appearances and oftentimes stereotyped personalities, the ladies embrace each other’s depths and contradictions.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of stereotyped
Adjective
  • Even though public schooling became compulsory in 1896, the language barrier and the remote location of many plantations led to gaps in access to these laborers’ formal education.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
  • That set off both margin calls and compulsory sales at the fund.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of compulsory
Adjective
  • Pinterest says Gen Z and Millennials are putting their own spins on trends rather than copying them, a sign that visible under-eyes and lived-in finishes could outlast the tired girl label itself.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican president looks increasingly tired and running out of steam, has not introduced any major new initiatives and could see the political writing on the wall.
    — Joe Battenfeld, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Your school will apply the funds toward required costs like tuition and fees before sending any remaining amount to you.
    — Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The economics behind that shift are already influencing how some large companies deploy AI, with businesses becoming increasingly selective in matching individual tasks to models based on cost and required performance.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of required
Adjective
  • Immediately, Zack-Carlos goes back to reasserting his presence in the house, eager to stay as long as possible and be his usual insufferable self.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For cats that need a larger calorie reduction, Yeo said a veterinary weight-management diet may be safer than simply serving much less of their usual food because it is formulated to provide adequate nutrients with fewer calories.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • In Asia-Pacific, where DeepMind opened a new research lab in Singapore last November, domestic players including ByteDance, Sakana AI and Sarvam AI are building share in markets the incumbent labs historically underinvested in.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Short dramas are unlikely to push out incumbent entertainment formats, according to Sensor Tower’s Shah.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of incumbent
Adjective
  • As anywhere in the United States, crashes are more commonplace during rush hour; there are simply more drivers on the road, and many are tired.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • YouTube has long topped Nielsen's streaming viewership list, and deals that see more of traditional media's content embedded into the tech platform could become more commonplace.
    — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of commonplace

Browse Nearby Words

obligations
obligatory
oblige
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligatory. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All