obligate
to bind or oblige morally or legally: to obligate oneself to purchase a building.
to pledge, commit, or bind (funds, property, etc.) to meet an obligation.
morally or legally bound; obliged; constrained.
Biology. restricted to a particular condition of life, as certain organisms that can survive only in the absence of oxygen (opposed to facultative): obligate anaerobe.
Origin of obligate
1Other words from obligate
- ob·li·ga·ble [ob-li-guh-buhl], /ˈɒb lɪ gə bəl/, adjective
- ob·li·ga·tor, noun
- pre·ob·li·gate, verb (used with object), pre·ob·li·gat·ed, pre·ob·li·gat·ing.
- re·ob·li·gate, verb (used with object), re·ob·li·gat·ed, re·ob·li·gat·ing.
Words that may be confused with obligate
- obligate , oblige
Words Nearby obligate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use obligate in a sentence
Alvarez told Voice of San Diego that he couldn’t discuss the nature of his work at the Water Authority because his contract obligates him to maintain confidentiality.
Water Authority’s Confidential Consultant Contracts Surprised Board | MacKenzie Elmer | August 4, 2021 | Voice of San DiegoShe’s obligated to give location information to local cities to help with their containment efforts but vowed only to publicly identify a specific location if, in her opinion, it constituted an ongoing threat.
Appellate Court Says San Diego County Can Keep COVID-19 Outbreak Data Secret | Jesse Marx | August 3, 2021 | Voice of San DiegoThe USPS hasn’t been obligated to make changes or pay penalties for any of the reported safety hazards.
A Postal Worker Begged for Stronger COVID-19 Protections. She Ended Up Spending Six Weeks in the Hospital. | by Maryam Jameel | July 16, 2021 | ProPublicaThrough the 19th and early 20th centuries, presidents were often creatures of their parties, dependent on state and local party leaders to nominate them, and as such, often obligated to reward them with appointments in the federal government.
Presidents Used To Be The Faces Of Their Political Parties. Is That No Longer The Case? | Julia Azari | July 13, 2021 | FiveThirtyEightEach person was obligated to give a toast during the marathon event.
Inside the FBI, Russia, and Ukraine’s failed cybercrime investigation | Patrick Howell O'Neill | July 8, 2021 | MIT Technology Review
Even then, the settlement does not obligate the Wilpon/Katz crowd until year four to make payment of half of what is still owed.
The same reasons that obligate a person to accept circumcision also obligate a person to accept the whole Law.
Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians | Martin LutherSimilarly, he who would be under obligation to none must obligate himself to all in every respect.
Epistle Sermons, Vol. II | Martin LutherThe best way, then, to be under obligation to none is, through love to obligate one's self in every respect to all men.
Epistle Sermons, Vol. II | Martin Luther"Me and Si Klegg'll march 'em over there, and obligate ourselves not to lose a rooster of 'em," said Shorty.
Si Klegg, Book 5 (of 6) | John McElroyThe mere fact that I happened to save your life does not obligate me to marry you, Miss Wharton.
The Trail Horde | Charles Alden Seltzer
British Dictionary definitions for obligate
/ (ˈɒblɪˌɡeɪt) /
to compel, constrain, or oblige morally or legally
(in the US) to bind (property, funds, etc) as security
compelled, bound, or restricted
biology able to exist under only one set of environmental conditions: an obligate parasite cannot live independently of its host Compare facultative (def. 4)
Origin of obligate
1Derived forms of obligate
- obligable, adjective
- obligative, adjective
- obligator, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for obligate
[ ŏb′lĭ-gĭt, -gāt′ ]
Capable of existing only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role. An obligate aerobe, such as certain bacteria, can live only in the presence of oxygen. An obligate parasite cannot survive independently of its host. Compare facultative.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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