Meaning & use
Obligate
Last updated
To legally or morally bind someone to a particular course of action.
See it in a sentence
The contract obligates the tenant to repair any damage caused during the lease.
Membership in the club obligates you to attend at least four meetings a year.
A note on using this word
In biology, "obligate" is also used as an adjective meaning restricted to one particular way of living, as in an "obligate parasite" that cannot survive without a host.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Restricted to a particular mode of life or a single set of conditions; unable to exist otherwise.
Tapeworms are obligate parasites that cannot complete their life cycle without a host animal.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Obligate”, then compare your use with the examples above.