1
as in to accommodate
to do a service or favor for
I would appreciate it greatly if you could oblige me by bringing a dessert to the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
I know you're in a hurry, but you can't oblige me to drive any faster than the speed limit
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 oblige
Anderson frames his argument largely in relation to the thought of thirteenth-century theologian Thomas Aquinas, who argued that Christians are generally obliged to directly confront someone who is behaving wrongly, and to do it in private to preserve the wrongdoer’s reputation.
—
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2026
The difference is that, while Carolyn struggles to define herself against expectation, John has always obliged expectation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
People are even more willing to oblige with testimonial images.
—Matthew Kayser, jsonline.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Digital services are also obliged to implement an effective age verification mechanism that goes beyond self-declaration that the user is over 18 to protect them from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oblige
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2026
The difference is that, while Carolyn struggles to define herself against expectation, John has always obliged expectation.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
People are even more willing to oblige with testimonial images.
—Matthew Kayser, jsonline.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Digital services are also obliged to implement an effective age verification mechanism that goes beyond self-declaration that the user is over 18 to protect them from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material.
—ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oblige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oblige
Verb
-
The effective oil blockade has caused blackouts and trash to pile up in the capital, with hospitals struggling to accommodate patients due to the energy crunch.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Entertaining spaces are designed to expand and contract depending on use, accommodating larger groups without feeling oversized when empty.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even those who advocated for conservative positions were compelled to make their case in language amenable to the liberal sensibility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In legal filings, Kalshi has argued that it's already regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission and that having to operate in 50 different ways to appease 50 different states isn't possible.—
Todd Bookman,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Cyrene then instructs her son to appease the nymphs, Eurydice’s companions, and to make funeral offerings to Eurydice’s husband Orpheus.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the mid-twentieth century, the US government experimented on poor Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama, to understand the life-cycle of syphilis; the men were coerced into remaining in their study for decades despite the fact that the disease’s cure, penicillin, had been discovered.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And the folks for whom Live Nation is able to really coerce a lot of their economic opportunities, the venues that are afraid to get sideways with Live Nation.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Viktor Arvidsson, who assisted on all three regulation goals and is proving to be a fantastic acquisition, beat Greaves on a backhander to cash the two highly improbable points.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The spa also offers an array of signature treatments worth exploring—from wellness rituals (like the Signature Bamford Treatment, which includes a footbath, massage, and assisted yogic breathing) to body rituals (mud baths, sauna wraps) and facials (including a luxurious 24K gold option).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The other key will be avoiding turnovers, as South Carolina is forcing more than 18 per game.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Soft, adjustable lighting, outdoor rain showers with peepholes framing the scenery, incredibly comfy poolside daybeds, super-crisp sheets, open-plan bathrooms with capacious closets—everything works, but nothing feels forced or superfluous.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Going to a local bike shop instead of buying online can help, enabling riders to ask questions, take a test ride and learn what’s legal and what isn’t.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Liba helped create a WhatsApp group that allowed participants to engage in critical dialogue about Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, argued Thursday that Supreme Court precedent made clear that the couple had a right to access funds Venezuela’s current leadership is willing and obligated to pay per the country’s laws.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oblige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oblige. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
