OBLIGATE
Dictionary entry overview: What does obligate mean?
• OBLIGATE (adjective)
The adjective OBLIGATE has 1 sense:
1. restricted to a particular condition of life
Familiarity information: OBLIGATE used as an adjective is very rare.
• OBLIGATE (verb)
The verb OBLIGATE has 3 senses:
1. force or compel somebody to do something
2. commit in order to fulfill an obligation
3. bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
Familiarity information: OBLIGATE used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• OBLIGATE (adjective)
Meaning:
Restricted to a particular condition of life
Context example:
an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of OXYGen
Domain category:
biological science; biology (the science that studies living organisms)
Antonym:
facultative (able to exist under more than one set of conditions)
• OBLIGATE (verb)
Meaning:
Force or compel somebody to do something
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
compel; obligate; oblige
Context example:
We compel all students to fill out this form
Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):
cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)
Cause:
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "obligate"):
apply; enforce; implement (ensure observance of laws and rules)
shame (compel through a sense of shame)
condemn (compel or force into a particular state or activity)
clamor (compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring)
coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze (to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :)
walk (make walk)
force; thrust (impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably)
enforce; impose (compel to behave in a certain way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They obligate him to write the letter
Meaning:
Commit in order to fulfill an obligation
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Context example:
obligate money
Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):
commit; confide; entrust; intrust; trust (confer a trust upon)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
oblige; obligate; bind; hold
Context examples:
He's held by a contract / I'll hold you by your promise
Hypernyms (to "obligate" is one way to...):
relate (have or establish a relationship to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "obligate"):
pledge (bind or secure by a pledge)
article (bind by a contract; especially for a training period)
indent; indenture (bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant)
tie down (restrain from independence by an obligation)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
