obligation
Other forms: obligations
An obligation is a duty. It's your obligation or responsibility to call your mom on Mother's Day. Sending flowers would be even better.
When you are morally or legally bound to a particular commitment, it's your obligation to follow through on it. If you see a crime taking place, for example, it's your obligation to notify the police. If an elderly person comes onto a full bus, it's your obligation to give up your seat for him. Sometimes when you enter a formal agreement with someone involving money, you might have to sign an obligation that states you are committed to paying back what you've borrowed.
Definitions of obligation
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the state of being obligated to do or pay something“he is under an obligation to finish the job”
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types:
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financial obligation, indebtedness, liability
an obligation to pay money to another party
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limited liability
the liability of a firm's owners for no more than the capital they have invested in the firm
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debt
the state of owing something (especially money)
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arrears
the state of being behind in payments
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account payable, payable
a liability account showing how much is owed for goods and services purchased on credit
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scot and lot
obligations of all kinds taken as a whole
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type of:
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state
the way something is with respect to its main attributes
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the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force“every opportunity, an obligation”
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synonyms:
duty, responsibility
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types:
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job
the responsibility to do something
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guardianship, keeping, safekeeping
the responsibility of a guardian or keeper
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moral obligation
an obligation arising out of considerations of right and wrong
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noblesse oblige
the obligation of those of high rank to be honorable and generous (often used ironically)
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burden of proof
the duty of proving a disputed charge
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civic duty, civic responsibility
the responsibilities of a citizen
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filial duty
duty of a child to its parents
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imperative
some duty that is essential and urgent
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incumbency
a duty that is incumbent upon you
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legal duty
acts which the law requires be done or forborne
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line of duty
all that is normally required in some area of responsibility
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white man's burden
the supposed responsibility of the white race to provide care for their non-white subjects
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prerequisite, requirement
something that is required in advance
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demand, requirement
required activity
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custody, hands
(with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
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jury duty
the civic duty to serve on a jury
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fiduciary duty
the legal duty of a fiduciary to act in the best interests of the beneficiary
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obedience, respect
behavior intended to please your parents
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precondition
a condition that is a prerequisite
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academic requirement
a requirement for admission to or completion of an academic program
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essential condition, sine qua non
a prerequisite
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type of:
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social control
control exerted (actively or passively) by group action
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a personal relation in which one is indebted for a service or favor
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synonyms:
indebtedness
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type of:
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personal relation, personal relationship
a relation between persons
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personal relation, personal relationship
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a written promise to repay a debt
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synonyms:
certificate of indebtedness, debt instrument
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types:
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cash equivalent
a highly liquid debt instrument with maturities of less than three months
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CD, certificate of deposit
a debt instrument issued by a bank; usually pays interest
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note, note of hand, promissory note
a promise to pay a specified amount on demand or at a certain time
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floater
a debt instrument with a variable interest rate tied to some other interest rate (e.g. the rate paid by T-bills)
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bond, bond certificate
a certificate of debt (usually interest-bearing or discounted) that is issued by a government or corporation in order to raise money; the issuer is required to pay a fixed sum annually until maturity and then a fixed sum to repay the principal
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bond issue
bonds sold by a corporation or government agency at a particular time and identifiable by date of maturity
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convertible bond
a bond that can be converted to other securities under certain conditions
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corporate bond
a bond issued by a corporation; carries no claim to ownership and pays no dividends but payments to bondholders have priority over payments to stockholders
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bearer bond, coupon bond
a bond issued with detachable coupons that must be presented to the issuer for interest payments
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government bond
a bond that is an IOU of the United States Treasury; considered the safest security in the investment world
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high-yield bond, junk bond
a (speculative) bond with a credit rating of BB or lower; issued for leveraged buyouts and other takeovers by companies with questionable credit
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municipal bond
a bond issued by a state or local government
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noncallable bond
a bond containing a provision that the holder cannot redeem the security before a specific date (usually at maturity)
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performance bond, surety bond
a bond given to protect the recipient against loss in case the terms of a contract are not filled; a surety company assumes liability for nonperformance
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post-obit bond
a bond made by a reversioner to secure a loan; payable out of his reversion
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registered bond
a bond whose owner is recorded on the books of the issuer; can be transferred to another owner only when endorsed by the registered owner
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revenue bond
a bond issued by an agency that is commissioned to finance public works; revenue from the public property is used to pay off the bond
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secured bond
a bond that is back by collateral
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debenture, debenture bond, unsecured bond
the ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future
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zero coupon bond, zero-coupon bond
a bond that is issued at a deep discount from its value at maturity and pays no interest during the life of the bond; the commonest form of zero-coupon security
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time deposit
a certificate of deposit from which withdrawals can be made only after advance notice or at a specified future date
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demand note
a note payable on demand
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note receivable
your right in a promissory note in which the maker promises to pay a certain amount of money at a certain time
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note payable
a note promising to pay a certain amount of money at a certain time
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commercial paper
an unsecured and unregistered short-term obligation issued by an institutional borrower to investors who have temporarily idle cash
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municipal note
a municipal debt instrument with a maturity of less than 2 years
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IOU
an informal debt instrument; representing `I owe you'
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time note
a note that specifies the time (or times) of repayment
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Premium Bond
a government bond that bears no interest or capital gains but enters the holder into lotteries
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type of:
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document
a written account of ownership or obligation
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a legal agreement specifying a payment or action and the penalty for failure to comply
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types:
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debt
an obligation to pay or do something
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type of:
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written agreement
a legal document summarizing the agreement between parties
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debt
Pronunciation
US
/ˈɑbləˌgeɪʃən/
UK
/ɒblɪˈgeɪʃɪn/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘obligation'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Word Family
Vocabulary lists containing obligation
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muhammad's first revelation of the Quran is commemorated. Muslims worldwide observe this month with fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution
Lotus Bloom, a seventh-grade girl who loves the vintage style of the 1970s, learns to speak up and fight for the freedom of expression after facing a dress code violation at school.
Sick Kids in Love
After meeting Sasha in the hospital drip room, sixteen-year-old Isabel considers breaking her no-dating rule and giving love a chance.
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