obligatory

Obligatory describes something you do because you have to, not because you want to. When you buy a car, you have to fill out the obligatory forms. In many homes, saying please and thank you is obligatory.

Obligatory derives from the verb oblige, as in "after she was so nice, I felt obliged to take her a present." Some people feel burdened by lives of common obligation, giving presents, returning phone calls, eating birthday cake, attending religious services––none of which they feel any real desire to do.

Definitions of obligatory
  1. adjective
    required by obligation or compulsion or convention
    “he made all the obligatory apologies”
    Synonyms:
    necessary
    absolutely essential
  2. adjective
    morally or legally constraining or binding
    “attendance is obligatory”
    “an obligatory contribution”
    Synonyms:
    bounden
    morally obligatory
    compulsory, mandatory, required
    required by rule
    de rigueur
    required by etiquette or usage or fashion
    imposed
    set forth authoritatively as obligatory
    incumbent on
    morally binding or necessary
    indispensable
    unavoidable
    prerequisite
    required as a prior condition or course of study
    necessary
    absolutely essential
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    Antonyms:
    optional
    possible but not necessary; left to personal choice
    elective
    not compulsory
    ex gratia
    as a favor; not compelled by legal right
    facultative
    not compulsory
    nonmandatory, nonobligatory
    not required by rule or law
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