ENGLISH
REFERENCE

obligatory

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //əˈbɫɪɡəˌtɔɹi// UK //əblˈɪɡətəɹˌi// oblig·a·tory

adj. something you must do because of a law, a rule, or a social custom. It is not optional.

adj. required by a legal, moral, or other rule; compulsory. Often describes actions or items that are mandatory within a specific system or social context.


SIMPLE

Wearing a seatbelt is obligatory for all passengers.

CONTEXTUAL

The company provides an obligatory safety training session for every new employee during their first week.

COMPLEX

While the attendance was technically obligatory, the professor noted that true engagement with the material could not be mandated by university policy alone.

Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English obligatorie, from Latin obligatōrius.

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'become', or precedes the noun it modifies.

Pitfall

It is obligatory to me to go.It is obligatory for me to go.When specifying the person required to act, use the preposition 'for' rather than 'to'.

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