Oblige vs. Obligate — What's the Difference?

To make someone legally or morally bound to an action or course of action.

To bind legally or morally.

To put in one's debt by a favor or service.

To commit (something, such as funds) to meet an obligation.

To cause to be grateful or indebted.

To require or constrain, as by law, command, conscience, or force of necessity.

To do a favor or service for someone.

To bind or compel (someone), especially legally or morally.

To bind morally or legally, as by a promise or contract.

To impose a legal or moral duty on.

To make indebted or grateful

Restricted to a particular condition of life;

To do a service or favor for

As an adjective, obligate means "by necessity" (antonym facultative) and is used mainly in biology in phrases such as: Obligate aerobe, an organism that cannot survive without oxygen Obligate anaerobe, an organism that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen Obligate air-breather, a term used in fish physiology to describe those that respire entirely from the atmosphere Obligate biped, Bipedalism designed to walk on two legs Obligate carnivore, an organism dependent for survival on a diet of animal flesh. Obligate hibernation, a state of inactivity in which some organisms survive conditions of insufficiently available resources.

To do a service or favor

To compel or constrain by a social, legal, or moral requirement.

(transitive) To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means.

To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige

To do (someone) a service or favour (hence, originally, creating an obligation).

To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

(intransitive) To be indebted to someone.

Able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role

To attach, as by a bond.

An obligate organism.

To constrain by physical, moral, or legal force; to put under obligation to do or forbear something.

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

To bind by some favor rendered; to place under a debt; hence, to do a favor to; to please; to gratify; to accommodate.

To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.

Force or compel somebody to do something;

To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted;

(biology) Requiring a (specified) way of life, habitat, etc..

Provide a service or favor for someone;

To bring or place under obligation, moral or legal; to hold by a constraining motive.

To bind or firmly hold to an act; to compel; to constrain; to bind to any act of duty or courtesy by a formal pledge.

Force or compel somebody to do something;

Commit in order to fulfill an obligation;

Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted;

Mostly, yes. Obligate is often used in contexts implying legal, formal, or moral compulsion.

Yes, a person can feel obliged out of a sense of goodwill or social norms without any formal obligation.

Yes, feeling obliged often stems from personal values, cultural norms, or social expectations, indicating a voluntary aspect.

While they can sometimes be used in similar contexts, oblige often has a more voluntary or positive connotation, whereas obligate implies a mandatory or compulsory action.

An action becomes obligatory when it is required by law, moral principle, or necessity, leaving little room for choice.

Formal obligations can define responsibilities within relationships, while feeling obliged can enhance relationships through acts of kindness.

Societal expectations can dictate the actions deemed necessary or appropriate, thereby influencing both legal obligations and personal feelings of being obliged.

Cultural norms and values play a significant role in shaping what actions are seen as voluntary acts of kindness versus obligatory.

To oblige someone means to do them a favor or service, often voluntarily or out of kindness.

Yes, one can be legally required to perform an action without feeling a personal desire or moral compulsion to do so.

Yes, businesses can be legally obligated to comply with regulations, and they can also feel obliged to act responsibly towards their community.

Not typically; being obliged is generally associated with gratitude or the desire to reciprocate kindness.

Not necessarily a lack of willingness, but it does emphasize compulsion over voluntary action.

Consent is key in feeling obliged, as it often involves voluntary actions, whereas obligations may not always require consent, particularly in legal contexts.

A moral obligation refers to a duty which one is bound to perform based on ethical principles or social norms.