How to Use obligatory in a Sentence

obligatory

adjective
Definition of obligatorynext
Synonyms for obligatorynext
  • This action movie includes the obligatory chase scenes.
  • The training is obligatory for all personnel.
  • Megan Fox wore the obligatory naked look at this year's VMAs.
    — Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 Sep. 2021
  • Mind you, the obligatory buzz-saw drone of noise and rage the band churns out doesn’t sound ironic.
    — Tom Maxwell, Longreads, 10 Apr. 2020
  • For the third time in as many years, the NFL has sent them on the road for their obligatory Thursday night game.
    — Adam H. Beasley, miamiherald, 25 Oct. 2017
  • Taylor used to think of the green salad as a dull, obligatory dish.
    — New York Times, 10 Nov. 2021
  • Since respect for the monarchy was obligatory at that time, the image — and the song — rocked the nation.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023
  • This is where the obligatory mention of the devil being in the details comes in.
    — Washington Post, 28 Apr. 2018
  • Book a cove boat tour and make an obligatory stop at shipwreck beach.
    — Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
  • Of course, the boat also makes the obligatory stops in Nordic hotspots like Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo.
    — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2023
  • There was even the obligatory article about it in the New England Journal of Medicine in the late 1980s.
    — Patrick Skerrett, STAT, 5 Oct. 2020
  • Well, that and then, of course, there’s always the obligatory post-post-cocktails at the Mark Hotel.
    — Kelsie Schrader, Curbed, 26 Oct. 2023
  • Clear out as many non-obligatory items from your calendar and just go with the flow.
    — The Astrotwins, ELLE, 13 Nov. 2022
  • Once the first of five obligatory prayers of the day, Fajr, begins at dawn, so does their fasting.
    — The Enquirer, 13 Mar. 2024
  • In the obligatory brawl afterward, Lauper was kicked in the head by Piper.
    — Jon Wertheim, Vulture, 25 June 2021
  • The boardwalks had their obligatory miniature golf courses and rides, the Funlands and the Trimper’s Rides.
    — Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 2 Aug. 2019
  • Yes, Maria is back and so was her obligatory bathroom break.
    — Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 1 Sep. 2017
  • If all of that sounds like a drag, obligatory and austere, don’t worry.
    — Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 4 Dec. 2019
  • Drinks: The obligatory Mimosas and Bloody Marys are there for the ordering.
    — Marc Bona, cleveland.com, 21 Oct. 2017
  • The domestic regime is stern, with obligatory straight A’s at school.
    — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2021
  • After a brief stop and obligatory photo, my route turned south, sending me into a sea of sand and the tallest dunes in the world.
    — charlotteobserver, 27 Oct. 2017
  • Rushlow has spent the month reading the Quran, journaling and building the habit to pray the five daily obligatory prayers.
    — Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 1 May 2022
  • Case in point: the jokes that Tomlinson reads to tee up each segment, which tend to feel obligatory.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2024
  • Add a lift kit, oversized tires with meaty tread, and an obligatory bed-rack system with a rooftop tent.
    — Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 3 Aug. 2022
  • The beach has been racking up five-star Google reviews, along with the obligatory quibbles.
    — Erin Ailworth, WSJ, 16 Oct. 2023
  • In a country where voting is obligatory, a record 58% stayed at home.
    — The Economist, 8 Mar. 2018
  • At midday join the throngs for an obligatory stop at Tunnel View.
    — Terry Wood, The Seattle Times, 5 July 2017
  • The dining area is outfitted with the obligatory garage door, which is opened when the weather’s nice.
    — Malcolm Mayhew, star-telegram.com, 3 May 2017
  • Football Manager is seemingly competing with its own legacy and making the tough decision to ask its fans to wait out a year rather than rush out an obligatory, flawed title.
    — Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025
  • The 31-year-old left-sided defender is shown around the training ground by Paik while his representatives, who form a considerable entourage, assist club staff with the obligatory announcement video.
    — Gregg Evans, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obligatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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