English Meaning & Definitions
To be forced or compelled to do something by circumstances, duty, or external pressure.
- “He was obliged to resign after the scandal became public.”
- “Due to the heavy rain, we were obliged to cancel the outdoor wedding ceremony.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “was obliged to”.
Derived from the Middle English 'obligen,' which comes from the Old French 'obliger,' originating from the Latin 'obligare' (to bind, tie up, or fasten). Historically, it implies a sense of being 'bound' by duty, law, or social expectation, shifting from a physical binding to a moral or situational necessity.
Think of being 'obliged' as being 'tied' (like a knot) to a task you must complete.
Frequently Asked Questions About “was obliged to”
1. What is the meaning of “was obliged to” in English?
In English, was obliged to (idiom) is defined as: “To be forced or compelled to do something by circumstances, duty, or external pressure.”.
2. How do you use “was obliged to” in a sentence?
“He was obliged to resign after the scandal became public.”
3. What are English synonyms of “was obliged to”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “was obliged to”?
Derived from the Middle English 'obligen,' which comes from the Old French 'obliger,' originating from the Latin 'obligare' (to bind, tie up, or fasten). Historically, it implies a sense of being 'bound' by duty, law, or social expectation, shifting from a physical binding to a moral or situational necessity.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.