Obligate

Quick meaning: Obligate is a verb meaning (transitive) To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

Meaning

(transitive) To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

More Meanings

1. (transitive, Canada, US, Scotland) To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.
2. (transitive, Canada, US, Scotland) To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.
3. (biology) Requiring a (specified) way of life, habitat, etc.
4. Indispensable; essential; necessary; obligatory; mandatory; unavoidably invoked.
5. (biology) An obligate organism.
6. (obsolete) Bound by oath, law or duty.

Example Sentences

In some languages such signaling is optional, whereas in others it is obligate.

[A]nalysis of the chemical composition of their bones reveals that they were obligate carnivores.

Light is the obligate energy source for the phototrophic microbes constructing these benthic mats

Unlike for phagotrophic flagellates, bacteria serve as a facultative rather than an obligate food source for crustacean zooplankton.

Word Forms

• obligates
• obligating
• obligated

Synonyms for obligate

Depending on context, synonyms include binding, compulsatory, compulsory, decretory, forced, imperative.

Antonyms for obligate

Common opposites include discretionary, elective, facultative, free, noncompulsory, nonmandatory.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include bound, oblige, compel, constrained, compelled, binding.

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