Dictionary

obligatory

adjective oblig·a·to·ry \ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē, ä- also ˈä-bli-gə-\

: required by a law or rule

: always or often included as a familiar and expected part of something

Full Definition of OBLIGATORY

: binding in law or conscience

: relating to or enforcing an obligation <a writ obligatory>

: mandatory, required <obligatory military service>; also : so commonplace as to be a convention, fashion, or cliché <the obligatory death scene in opera>

: obligate 1

— oblig·a·to·ri·ly \ə-ˌbli-gə-ˈtȯr-ə-lē, ä- also ˌä-bli-gə-\ adverb

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First Known Use of OBLIGATORY

15th century

Related to OBLIGATORY

Synonyms: compulsory, forced, imperative, incumbent, involuntary, necessary, nonelective, mandatory, peremptory, required

Antonyms: elective, optional, voluntary

Rhymes with OBLIGATORY

accusatory, admonitory, adulatory, a fortiori, aleatory, ambulatory, amendatory, applicatory, approbatory, celebratory, circulatory, combinatory, commendatory, compensatory, conciliatory, condemnatory, confirmatory, confiscatory, conservatory, consolatory, contributory, copulatory, cosignatory, declamatory, declaratory, dedicatory, defamatory, denigratory, depilatory, depository, derogatory, designatory, dispensatory, divinatory, escalatory, excitatory, exclamatory, exculpatory, excusatory, exhibitory, exhortatory, expiatory, expiratory, explanatory, explicatory, exploratory, expository, expurgatory, incubatory, indicatory, inflammatory, informatory, innovatory, inspiratory, inundatory, invitatory, judicatory, masticatory, masturbatory, memento mori, millefiori, obfuscatory, observatory, performatory, persecutory, predicatory, premonitory, prohibitory, reformatory, regulatory, repository, retributory, revelatory, respiratory, salutatory, stipulatory, supplicatory, transmigratory, undulatory

Medical Dictionary

obligatory

adjective oblig·a·to·ry \ə-ˈblig-ə-ˌtōr-ē, ä-, -ˌtȯr- also ˈäb-li-gə-\

Medical Definition of OBLIGATORY

: obligate 1

—oblig·a·to·ri·ly \ə-ˌblig-ə-ˈtōr-ə-lē, ä-, -ˈtȯr- also ˌäb-li-gə-\ adverb

Learn More About OBLIGATORY

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "obligatory"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "obligatory"

Nglish: Translation of "obligatory" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "obligatory" for Arabic speakers

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