mandatory
Americanadjective
-
authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory.
It is mandatory that all students take two years of math.
-
pertaining to, of the nature of, or containing a command.
-
Law. permitting no option; not to be disregarded or modified.
a mandatory clause.
-
having received a mandate, as a nation.
noun
plural
mandatoriesadjective
-
having the nature or powers of a mandate
-
obligatory; compulsory
-
(of a state) having received a mandate over some territory
noun
Other Word Forms
- mandatorily adverb
- nonmandatory adjective
- unmandatory adjective
Etymology
Origin of mandatory
From the Late Latin word mandātōrius, dating back to 1655–65. See mandate, -tory 1
Explanation
In the US, attending school through the twelfth grade, driving on the right side of the road, and obtaining a social security number are all mandatory. The phrase "mandatory requirement" is redundant. A mandatory action is something that is required, obligatory, or compulsory. Like letting your Great Aunt Edna pinch your cheeks or passing gym to get your diploma. Mandatory is often used in opposition to optional. If you want to compete with the swim team at school, weeknight practices are mandatory, meaning you have to go, though the Saturday dawn swim practice remains optional, meaning it's up to you.
Vocabulary lists containing mandatory
List 2
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Twelve Angry Men
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All American Boys
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The CMA's investigation found that people booking lessons online between April and December last year were initially shown prices that did not include a mandatory booking fee.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
He vacated his WBO title instead of facing Fabio Wardley, and may well choose to vacate his other belts too rather than face mandatory challengers in the future.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Another letter says staff must undergo mandatory “cultural competency training that focuses on residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Instead, the WGA was able to expand access to AI information and require mandatory meetings if companies that develop artificial intelligence technology hope to license writers’ work to train generative AI systems.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Defecating and urinating there were mandatory, as human waste was used as fertilizer on the camp farm.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
