- (n.) Any act by which a person becomes bound to do something to or for anouther or to forbear something; external duties imposed by law, promise or contract, by the relations of society or by courtesy, kindness, etc.
- (n.) The act of obligating.
- (n.) A bond with a condition annexed, and a penalty for nonfulfillment. In a larger sense, it is an acknowledgment of a duty to pay a certain sum or do a certain things.
- (n.) That which obligates or constrains; the binding power of a promise, contract, oath or vow or of law; that which constitutes legal or moral duty.
- (n.) The state of being obligated or bound; the state of being indebted for an act of favor or kindness; as, to place others under obligations to one.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). obligation. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/obligation/definitions/2037953 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "obligation" http://smartdefine.org/obligation/definitions/2037953 (accessed September 23, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, obligation, Smart Define, viewed 23 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/obligation/definitions/2037953>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "obligation" 27 May 2011. Web. 23 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/obligation/definitions/2037953> |