1
as in mandatory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
in this state, school attendance is obligatory until the age of 16
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cliche
used or heard so often as to be dull
the obligatory cliff-hanger endings for season finales of TV shows
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Recent Examples of obligatory
The format is a good one for a medical comedy, allowing for brief beats of handheld intensity when patients arrive in emergency situations and facilitating an instant connection between the characters and the camera during the obligatory confessional interviews.
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Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
And of course, because this is a titanium Kickstarter multitool, there are also the obligatory slots for optional vials of glow-in-the-dark (and slightly radioactive) tritium.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2024
For many straight men, their maiden journey to a strip club is an obligatory rite of passage, but for Baker, the incident was more fraught.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
Dealers reinforce the advantage of leasing an EV by giving buyers their applicable tax credits at the point of sale, often bundling them to lower the obligatory drive-off costs.
—Michael Harley, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for obligatory 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obligatory
Adjective
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The District 16 race margin is within the threshold for a mandatory recount, while the District 19 margin is just outside the threshold.Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 11 Nov. 2024
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Dismayed by tedious, mandatory and frequently counterproductive diversity, equity and inclusion seminars that treat white skin as almost inherently problematic?Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Uruguayans are not obliged to vote in the plebiscites, but voting in the congressional and presidential races is compulsory.Nayara Batschke and Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
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Lawmakers are calling for the introduction of a minimum age restriction of 14 years for using fatbikes and making wearing helmets compulsory.AFP, Fortune Europe, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Chicano artists also critically reexamined stereotyped figures, such as the pachuco and pachuca, and retold current and historic events through artworks that questioned hegemonic narratives.Mary Thomas, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
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Covino is also tasked with the least comedic role and excels at imbuing his character with enough nuance to be the one actor who transcends the script’s stereotyped trappings.Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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The federal agency said that the package of financial penalty and required reforms are designed to improve Ford’s compliance with the law.Matthew Dolan, Detroit Free Press, 14 Nov. 2024
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New England Realty Associates anticipates that cash from operations will be sufficient to fund its current operations, pay distributions, and make required debt payments.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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But the media's use of the tired relegation narrative to generate jeopardy misses a broader, more interesting question about what drove the Catalan to commit more emphatically than his last two deals.Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
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The upcoming holiday season is the perfect excuse to upgrade your tired cookware collection and kitchen appliances.Maggie Horton, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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California 45th Congressional District In Southern California’s 45th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel, a two-term Republican and the first Korean-American woman ever elected to Congress, has fallen behind Democratic challenger Derek Tran, son of Vietnamese refugees.Maya Homan, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
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But the plan never came to fruition thanks to incumbent President Abraham Lincoln, who sent federal troops to quell discontent in major cities during the election.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Another risk is getting worse sleep than usual, which affects mood, alertness, and performance the next day.Matt Fuchs, TIME, 22 Nov. 2024
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The smaller sensors means less light intake, so all four lenses require night mode more than usual.Ben Sin, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Because the business may include onsite consumption of alcohol and the use of cigars, the special use permit was necessary for it to be labeled as a private club.Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Given that goal, the Agency argues that no new fossil fuel developments are necessary, something that is obviously a hard sell.Michael Lynch, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near obligatory
Cite this Entry
“Obligatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obligatory. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
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