as in compels
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the problem is of your own making, so don't think that you can obligate me to help
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Recent Examples of obligates
The collective defense clause, if invoked by a member state, obligates all other members of the transatlantic alliance to treat an attack on one as an attack on all.
—
Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Europe’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) obligates foreign streaming services to invest a portion of their revenue into local productions, but leaves the modalities of this obligation to each individual country.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
The registry obligates legitimate telemarketers to stop calling numbers listed on it.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
In prior administrations, including during my time in the Obama administration, such leverage ran into statutory guardrails under the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the United States to provide Taiwan defensive capabilities.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Orange County’s agreement with ICE only obligates the county to detain up to 114 people, but the county was housing, on average, 140 inmates a day in January and last week, the count hit 182.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The federal law dating back to 1967 obligates government agencies to turn over records to the public with some exceptions.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Treating capitalism in general, and industrialization in particular, as a political project obligates Beckert to minimize the role of technology.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
In May, the city passed new rules requiring retailers with at least 76 carts to either install theft prevention mechanisms, use security deposit devices, or enter into a cart retrieval contract that obligates proactive efforts to pick up their carts.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Europe’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) obligates foreign streaming services to invest a portion of their revenue into local productions, but leaves the modalities of this obligation to each individual country.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
The registry obligates legitimate telemarketers to stop calling numbers listed on it.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
In prior administrations, including during my time in the Obama administration, such leverage ran into statutory guardrails under the Taiwan Relations Act, which obligates the United States to provide Taiwan defensive capabilities.
—Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Orange County’s agreement with ICE only obligates the county to detain up to 114 people, but the county was housing, on average, 140 inmates a day in January and last week, the count hit 182.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The federal law dating back to 1967 obligates government agencies to turn over records to the public with some exceptions.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025
Treating capitalism in general, and industrialization in particular, as a political project obligates Beckert to minimize the role of technology.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
In May, the city passed new rules requiring retailers with at least 76 carts to either install theft prevention mechanisms, use security deposit devices, or enter into a cart retrieval contract that obligates proactive efforts to pick up their carts.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligates
Verb
-
The New York Times is seeking a new order that compels Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth‘s team to rescind a set of press access restrictions that a federal judge ruled unconstitutional last week.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Even so, each glimpse of what lies beyond Earth compels us to search farther.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The 2026 Ram 1500 definitely obliges in that comfort.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The terms of the deal between property owners and the government obliges these landlords to keep rents affordable for their occupants for decades, generally restricting rent to about 30% of tenants’ income.—
Brian Y. An,
The Conversation,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Christopher McVey was sent off late against Real Salt Lake after a second yellow card, which rules him out for Saturday and forces a lineup shuffle.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Freshman Hannah Wells get the start for Texas and forces three quick groundouts.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligates. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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