noun
obligation
ob-lih-GAY-shn
noun
1
A duty or requirement to do something, often because of a promise, law, or moral sense.
"Parents have an obligation to care for their children."
"He fulfilled his contractual obligations before leaving the company."
How to Use Obligation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething you have to do because of duty, a promise, or a rule.
Common pairings
legal obligation
moral obligation
fulfil an obligation
Word Forms
obligations plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “obligation”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Parents have an _____ to care for their children.
Etymology
From Latin obligatio, from obligare ("to bind"), from ob- + ligare ("to bind, tie").