oblige

oblige
verb
;-;bl;j
obliged; obliging
Synonyms of oblige
transitive verb

1
: to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstance
obliged to find a job
felt obliged to share it with her
2
a
: to put in one's debt by a favor or service
We are much obliged for your help.
b
: to do a favor for
always ready to oblige a friend
intransitive verb

: to do something as or as if as a favor
When he was asked for advice, he obliged.
obliger noun


Did you know?
If you are obliged by a rule or law you are metaphorically bound by it—that is, you are required to obey it. The idea of binding links the word to its Latin source, lig;re, meaning “to fasten, bind.” In the most common modern uses of oblige, though, the idea of binding is somewhat masked: it is applied when someone is bound by a debt for some favor or service, as in “We’re much obliged to you for the help,” but in the phrase “happy to oblige” it simply expresses a willingness to do someone a favor, as in “They needed a ride and we were happy to oblige.”

Synonyms
accommodate
favor
Choose the Right Synonym for oblige

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige mean to make someone or something yield.

force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives
compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake
coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights
constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience
oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go
Examples of oblige in a Sentence
The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public.
Her job obliges her to work overtime and on weekends.
She's always ready to oblige her friends.
“Thank you for your help.” “I'm happy to oblige.”
They asked for food and he obliged with soup and sandwiches.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Giants obliged, sending their now-former quarterback into free agency for the first time in his career.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
On the one hand, he felt legally obliged to obey Dred Scott—the court ruling that said Blacks were not citizens—and worried about public reaction.
—Zaakir Tameez june 11, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
When the fan waved at the rapper and requested a selfie, Sierra-Hernandez appeared ready to oblige.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
But the Chinese management of the Isis was obliged to carry out other forms of censorship.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 3 June 2025

Word History
Etymology
Middle English obligen, oblischen "to impose on as a legal or moral duty, bind by oath or contract," borrowed from Anglo-French obliger, borrowed from Latin oblig;re "to tie up, restrain by tying, assign, place under a legal or moral constraint, pledge," from ob- "toward, facing" + lig;re "to fasten, bind" — more at ob-, ligature

First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oblige was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century