Obligation
noun
A duty or responsibility you have to do or complete something.
As a parent, it's my obligation to take care of my children.
Often appears as...
- fulfill an obligation
- have an obligation
noun
An action or type of behavior that is expected or required.
Students have an obligation to attend class and complete assignments.
Often appears as...
- obligation to society
- great obligation
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A legal or financial responsibility, for example, to repay a loan.
He failed to meet his debt obligations, so his credit score dropped.
Often appears as...
- financial obligation
- debt obligation
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A promise or agreement you have made that must be done or kept.
Our organization has an obligation to help the less fortunate.
Often appears as...
- moral obligation
- enforced obligation
noun
A duty or responsibility you have to do or complete something.
As a parent, it's my obligation to take care of my children.
Often appears as...
- fulfill an obligation
- have an obligation
noun
An action or type of behavior that is expected or required.
Students have an obligation to attend class and complete assignments.
Often appears as...
- obligation to society
- great obligation
Usage tips
Academic
noun
A legal or financial responsibility, for example, to repay a loan.
He failed to meet his debt obligations, so his credit score dropped.
Often appears as...
- financial obligation
- debt obligation
Usage tips
Formal
noun
A promise or agreement you have made that must be done or kept.
Our organization has an obligation to help the less fortunate.
Often appears as...
- moral obligation
- enforced obligation
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Fulfilling Roles
Relates to responsibilities expected by society or your personal roles, like being a parent or employee.
Meeting work deadlines is my obligation as a team member.
Pro Tip 2/2Feeling of Must
Conveys a strong sense that you must do something, often morally or socially driven.
I feel an obligation to volunteer at the shelter.
Pro Tip 1/2Fulfilling Roles
Relates to responsibilities expected by society or your personal roles, like being a parent or employee.
Meeting work deadlines is my obligation as a team member.
Pro Tip 2/2Feeling of Must
Conveys a strong sense that you must do something, often morally or socially driven.
I feel an obligation to volunteer at the shelter.
Pro Tip 1/2Fulfilling Roles
Relates to responsibilities expected by society or your personal roles, like being a parent or employee.
Meeting work deadlines is my obligation as a team member.
Pro Tip 2/2Feeling of Must
Conveys a strong sense that you must do something, often morally or socially driven.
I feel an obligation to volunteer at the shelter.
Compare with
accountabilitychargecommitmentdutyliabilitymandatorilynecessityrequirementresponsibility
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Video examples
What does it mean to be...
The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a principle preventing a nation from sending an individual to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In reality, however, refugees are frequently the victims of inconsistent and discriminatory treatment.
Video examples
What is Space Time? PIPE...
I'm walking down the train. I'm walking on-- And the time change. And the time is going to change. What is all that? That's all the consequences of thinking about space and time as conjoined. But it's confusing. And not only is it-- The universe is under no obligation to make
Video examples
Which country does the...
In the depths of a very severe economic recession, I think that there's a really important lesson there, that if you can remember your international obligations whilst you are trying to rebuild your own economy, that's really something. Finland ranks pretty much the same.
Video examples
What is a gift economy?...
But in a gift economy, gifts given without explicit conditions are used to foster a system of social ties and obligations. While the market economies we know are formed by relationships between the things being traded, a gift economy consists of the relationships
Video examples
Science can answer moral...
They are facts about the well-being of conscious creatures. Why is it that we don't have ethical obligations toward rocks? Why don't we feel compassion for rocks? It's because we don't think rocks can suffer. And if we're more concerned about our fellow primates
Video examples
Who was Confucius? -...
by virtue of his ethical charisma. Confucius also believed that because the love and respect we learn in the family are fundamental to all other virtues, personal duties to family sometimes supersede obligations to the state.
Video examples
Get comfortable with...
Speaking of the greater good, I think we commit ourselves to telling truths to build bridges to common ground, and bridges that aren't based on truth will collapse. So it is our job, it is our obligation, it is our duty
Video examples
Elon Musk talks Twitter,...
judgment at some point no i think the like i said in my view uh twitter should um match the laws of the of the country of and and and really you know that there's an obligation to to do that
Video examples
How I learned to read --...
This is not going to work out too well. I thought. I now had an obligation to meet those on the path and help, and it was crazy because I now cared about my community.
Video examples
The Latin America that...
contradictory translation of a voluntary imposition he invited the citizens of burrata to pay an extra ten percent from its legal tax obligations to support a
Video examples
What does it mean to be...
The most basic obligation towards refugees is non-refoulement, a principle preventing a nation from sending an individual to a country where their life and freedom are threatened. In reality, however, refugees are frequently the victims of inconsistent and discriminatory treatment.
Video examples
What is Space Time? PIPE...
I'm walking down the train. I'm walking on-- And the time change. And the time is going to change. What is all that? That's all the consequences of thinking about space and time as conjoined. But it's confusing. And not only is it-- The universe is under no obligation to make
Video examples
Which country does the...
In the depths of a very severe economic recession, I think that there's a really important lesson there, that if you can remember your international obligations whilst you are trying to rebuild your own economy, that's really something. Finland ranks pretty much the same.
Video examples
What is a gift economy?...
But in a gift economy, gifts given without explicit conditions are used to foster a system of social ties and obligations. While the market economies we know are formed by relationships between the things being traded, a gift economy consists of the relationships
Video examples
Science can answer moral...
They are facts about the well-being of conscious creatures. Why is it that we don't have ethical obligations toward rocks? Why don't we feel compassion for rocks? It's because we don't think rocks can suffer. And if we're more concerned about our fellow primates
Video examples
Who was Confucius? -...
by virtue of his ethical charisma. Confucius also believed that because the love and respect we learn in the family are fundamental to all other virtues, personal duties to family sometimes supersede obligations to the state.
Video examples
Get comfortable with...
Speaking of the greater good, I think we commit ourselves to telling truths to build bridges to common ground, and bridges that aren't based on truth will collapse. So it is our job, it is our obligation, it is our duty
Video examples
Elon Musk talks Twitter,...
judgment at some point no i think the like i said in my view uh twitter should um match the laws of the of the country of and and and really you know that there's an obligation to to do that
Video examples
How I learned to read --...
This is not going to work out too well. I thought. I now had an obligation to meet those on the path and help, and it was crazy because I now cared about my community.
Video examples
The Latin America that...
contradictory translation of a voluntary imposition he invited the citizens of burrata to pay an extra ten percent from its legal tax obligations to support a
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Taylor Swift
American Singer
When I'm in management meetings when we're deciding my future, those decisions are left up to me. I'm the one who has to go out and fulfill all these obligations, so I should be able to choose which ones I do or not. That's the part of my life where I feel most in control.
Quote examples
Sidney Poitier
American Actor
So I had to be careful. I recognized the responsibility that, whether I liked it or not, I had to accept whatever the obligation was. That was to behave in a manner, to carry myself in such a professional way, as if there ever is a reflection, it's a positive one.
Quote examples
Rush Limbaugh
American Entertainer
Life is busy. There are daily concerns and obligations that have to be met, and to take time to think about how precious and special a human life is that you only get one, and that every wasted minute is lost. You can't get it back.
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will, but not the money, can still get the best education possible.
Quote examples
Colin Powell
American Statesman
We need to understand that we as citizens and as a government in any community throughout this country have no more important obligation than to educate those who are going to replace us.
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
I never thought of losing, but now that it' s happened, the only thing is to do it right. That's my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.
Quote examples
Franklin D. Roosevelt
American President
Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.
Quote examples
Michael Jordan
American Basketball Player
I want to wake up every day and do whatever comes in my mind, and not feel pressure or obligations to do anything else in my life.
Quote examples
John D. Rockefeller
American Businessman
Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty.
Quote examples
Neil deGrasse Tyson
American Scientist
The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.
Quote examples
Taylor Swift
American Singer
When I'm in management meetings when we're deciding my future, those decisions are left up to me. I'm the one who has to go out and fulfill all these obligations, so I should be able to choose which ones I do or not. That's the part of my life where I feel most in control.
Quote examples
Sidney Poitier
American Actor
So I had to be careful. I recognized the responsibility that, whether I liked it or not, I had to accept whatever the obligation was. That was to behave in a manner, to carry myself in such a professional way, as if there ever is a reflection, it's a positive one.
Quote examples
Rush Limbaugh
American Entertainer
Life is busy. There are daily concerns and obligations that have to be met, and to take time to think about how precious and special a human life is that you only get one, and that every wasted minute is lost. You can't get it back.
Quote examples
Barack Obama
American President
We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will, but not the money, can still get the best education possible.
Quote examples
Colin Powell
American Statesman
We need to understand that we as citizens and as a government in any community throughout this country have no more important obligation than to educate those who are going to replace us.
Quote examples
Muhammad Ali
American Boxer
I never thought of losing, but now that it' s happened, the only thing is to do it right. That's my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.
Quote examples
Franklin D. Roosevelt
American President
Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.
Quote examples
Michael Jordan
American Basketball Player
I want to wake up every day and do whatever comes in my mind, and not feel pressure or obligations to do anything else in my life.
Quote examples
John D. Rockefeller
American Businessman
Every right implies a responsibility; Every opportunity, an obligation, Every possession, a duty.
Quote examples
Neil deGrasse Tyson
American Scientist
The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.
Example 1 of 10
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