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
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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
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Recent Examples of obligatory
Three decades later, Prince William and Kate Middleton returned to the same place to replicate the visit, making this red desert landscape a sort of obligatory stop in a country where the Windsors, despite protests, still reign.
—
Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
This style of high-tech trailers is still in its infancy and will continue to evolve with new designs and amenities, but there's at least one or two features that are all but obligatory for the category.
—New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2026
The film is faithful to the franchise’s customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Though this part of the island is only accessible via a handful of hiking trails, its bare beaches are an obligatory stop before heading to the marine park.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
This style of high-tech trailers is still in its infancy and will continue to evolve with new designs and amenities, but there's at least one or two features that are all but obligatory for the category.
—New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2026
The film is faithful to the franchise’s customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Though this part of the island is only accessible via a handful of hiking trails, its bare beaches are an obligatory stop before heading to the marine park.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obligatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligatory
Adjective
-
Tex McIver's felony murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence.—
Lauren A. White,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
He was indicted Wednesday, April Fools’ Day, and could face up to 27 years behind bars, with a seven-year mandatory minimum, if he’s convicted of using a firearm during a crime of violence.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Later, Lenape artist Joe Baker places cutout photographs of his ancestors over the stereotyped images of Native Americans found in the wallpaper.—
Tom McDonough,
Artforum,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But the trial judge, not the jury, will rule on any compulsory changes for Meta at the trial’s second stage in May.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Fittingly, the summit’s resemblance to summer camp fostered a mood of compulsory cheer.—
Gaby Del Valle,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For workers who are tired of their jobs following them home every night, and for businesses that are tired of the burnout, the turnover, and the chaos that comes from not having boundaries, Zenzap is the work chat app that changes everything.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
One still gets tired of the Wednesday rice and fish dish.—
Jeremy O. Harris,
Vanity Fair,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The school's practices allowed people to get massage therapy licenses without finishing the required training, according to TDLR.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Nassau County executive, who has no serious opposition in the GOP primary for governor, was denied funding by the state Campaign Finance Board by a 4-3 party line vote because his running mate failed to file required paperwork.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Brenner pointed out that across all three enterprises, there is a need to fulfill customer desires for optionality above all else, even as same-day delivery becomes more commonplace among delivery providers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Moore’s demo may seem far-fetched, but the future of these privacy intrusions may become commonplace.—
Justyn Newman,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Historically, high gas prices have hurt the incumbent party.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
As the incumbent Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul, is wrongly skipping the program, her party has killed it just as it was getting started.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The deeper layers of your soul may feel much nearer to the surface than usual.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
-
With speed on the right wing as essentially a pure winger rather than her usual right-back role, Oke gave Reign’s defense fits, especially when another midfielder joined and created overloads.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligatory. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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