Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

obligation

/ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.07 in modern English

Syllables
obli-ga-tion
IPA
/ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/
13
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A legal agreement stipulating a specified action or forbearance by a party to the agreement; the document containing such agreement.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Reason for being obliged to, that is, grateful for, something.

Countable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English obligacioun, from Old French obligacion, from Latin obligatio, obligationem, from obligatum (past participle of obligare), from ob- (“to”) + ligare (“to bind”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *leyǵ-, obligacioun, obligacion, obligatio

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/
  • British English: /ˌɒb.lɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce obligation?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/.
What does obligation mean?
The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
Where does obligation come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce obligation

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “obligation”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “obligation”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “obligation” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.