obligate
gb/ˈɑbləɡˌeɪt/ us/ˈɑbləɡˌeɪt/
B2
English
~ 9100
kötelez, leköt, obligát
VERB
B2
FORMAL
1
kötelez
B2
Usage pattern:
to obligate [someone] to [do something]
The contract obligates the company to provide technical support for two years.
A szerződés két évig tartó műszaki támogatás nyújtására kötelezi a vállalatot.
Parents are obligated by law to ensure their children attend school.
A szülőket törvény kötelezi arra, hogy biztosítsák gyermekeik iskolába járását.
The agreement obligates both parties to keep the information confidential.
Union rules obligate the employer to negotiate before making major changes.
Her promise obligated her to stay until the project was finished.
Learner examples
The new law obligates drivers to wear seat belts.
Az új törvény kötelezi a járművezetőket a biztonsági öv használatára.
This job obligates you to work some weekends.
Ez a munka arra kötelez, hogy néhány hétvégén is dolgozz.
The contract obligates the landlord to fix the heating.
His choice to sign the paper obligated him to pay the full amount.
The rules obligate students to attend every class.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "obligate" with "oblige." In many cases, especially in British English and everyday speech, "oblige" or "require" is more common, while "obligate" sounds more legal or formal. Another mistake is using the pattern *"obligate to someone"* instead of *"obligate someone to do something"*.
Meaning
Formally require someone to act
Collocations
obligate someone to
|legally obligate
|contractually obligate
|obligate the company
|obligate the parties
|obligate itself to
Synonyms
require (More common and slightly less formal; focuses on the necessity rather than the legal or moral binding.)
|
compel (Suggests strong pressure or force, not always tied to formal rules or duty.)
Antonyms
release (To remove a duty or requirement that was previously in place.)
Themes
law
|business
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a person have to do something because of a rule, law, promise, or duty.
To bind or require someone to do something, especially because of a law, rule, contract, or sense of duty.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
2
leköt
C1
Usage pattern:
to obligate [money/funds] for [a purpose]
The agency must obligate all grant funds before the end of the fiscal year.
Az ügynökségnek a pénzügyi év vége előtt le kell kötnie az összes támogatási forrást.
The contract allows the department to obligate up to $5 million for the project.
A szerződés lehetővé teszi, hogy az osztály legfeljebb 5 millió dollárt kössön le a projektre.
If they do not obligate the funds in time, the money will be returned to the general budget.
Learner examples
The city will obligate these funds for new roads.
A város ezeket a forrásokat új utakra fogja lekötni.
The government did not obligate all the money last year.
A kormány tavaly nem kötötte le az összes pénzt.
They plan to obligate the grant money by June.
The project manager wants to obligate more funds for safety work.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "obligate funds" with simply "spend money." "Obligate" means to legally commit the money, which can happen before the money is actually spent. Another common mistake is using "allocate" and "obligate" as exact synonyms; allocation does not always mean there is a binding legal duty to spend.
Meaning
Legally commit or earmark funds
Collocations
obligate funds
|obligate federal funds
|obligate grant money
|obligate the budget
|obligate project funds
|fully obligate funds
Synonyms
earmark (Informal in comparison; focuses on setting money aside but not always on the legal commitment aspect.)
|
allocate (Stresses distribution or assignment of money, without necessarily implying a binding legal duty to spend it.)
Antonyms
deobligate (Technical opposite used in government finance, meaning to cancel or reduce a previous legal commitment of funds.)
Themes
business
|finance
|government
Definition
To make money officially set aside and promised for a special use, so it must be spent for that use.
To make specific sums of money legally committed to be spent for a particular purpose, often within a budget or contract.
C1
TECHNICAL
3
obligát
C2
Usage pattern:
obligate [type of organism or lifestyle]
Cats are often described as obligate carnivores because they must eat meat to stay healthy.
A macskákat gyakran obligát húsevőknek nevezik, mert egészségük megőrzéséhez húst kell enniük.
An obligate anaerobe cannot survive in the presence of oxygen.
Az obligát anaerob nem képes túlélni oxigén jelenlétében.
This bacterium is an obligate intracellular parasite and can only reproduce inside host cells.
Some fungi are obligate parasites and die without a suitable host.
Unlike facultative species, obligate mutualists depend completely on their partner organism.
Learner examples
A shark is not an obligate freshwater animal.
A cápa nem obligát édesvízi állat.
An obligate aerobe needs oxygen to live.
Az obligát aerobnak oxigénre van szüksége az élethez.
This small worm is an obligate parasite of fish.
Some animals are obligate meat eaters and cannot live on plants.
The scientist called the bacteria an obligate anaerobe.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "obligate" here has the same meaning as in everyday speech ("to force someone"), but in biology it describes a natural limit: the organism simply cannot live in any other way. They may also confuse "obligate" with "optional" or "flexible" in this context, when it actually means the opposite.
Meaning
Restricted to one necessary condition
Collocations
obligate carnivore
|obligate parasite
|obligate anaerobe
|obligate aerobe
|obligate intracellular parasite
|obligate symbiont
Synonyms
strict (Used in some biological contexts (e.g. "strict anaerobe"), but more general and less technical than "obligate.")
Antonyms
facultative (Biological term for organisms that can live with or without a certain condition, the opposite of being restricted to it.)
Themes
science
|biology
Definition
Used in science to describe a living thing that can only live or work in one special way or place, and cannot live without that condition.
In biology, restricted to a particular mode of life or environmental condition and unable to live or function without it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
obligate
IPA
GB/ˈɑbləɡˌeɪt/
US/ˈɑbləɡˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
ob - lig - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ob)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: obligate
Verb
- Base: obligate
- 3rd Person Singular: obligates
- Present Participle: obligating
- Past: obligated
Word family
Forms
obligates
verb
obligating
verb
obligated
verb
Core family
obligation
noun B1
obligatory
adjective
Related words
oblige
verb B2
Negative and opposite forms
optional
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
obligatorily
adverb
Expressions
be obligated to
1/bˈi ˈɑbləɡˌeɪtɪd tə/
fixed phrase
formal
Have a formal duty to do
To have to do something because of a rule, law, promise, or duty.
Examples
- Employers are obligated to provide a safe working environment.
- Under the agreement, we are obligated to pay the full amount within thirty days.
- You are not obligated to answer any questions without a lawyer.
feel obligated to
1/fˈil ˈɑbləɡˌeɪtɪd tə/
fixed phrase
Personally feel a duty to act
To think you must do something, usually because someone helped you or because it seems like the right thing to do.
Examples
- He paid for dinner, so I feel obligated to pay next time.
- She felt obligated to stay late and help her team finish the report.
- I don't want you to feel obligated to invite me if it's not convenient.
morally obligated to
1/mˈɔɹəli ˈɑbləɡˌeɪtɪd tə/
fixed phrase
Have an ethical duty to act
To have to do something because it is the right or good thing to do, not because of a law.
Examples
- Many people feel morally obligated to help those in need.
- Doctors are morally obligated to act in the best interests of their patients.
- She believed she was morally obligated to tell the truth.