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What’s The Difference Between Obligated and Obliged?

What’s The Difference Between Obligated and Obliged?

There are many words that if not said correctly or if not focused when using them we might make the mistake of confusing them. The words “obligated ” and “obliged” are a pair that share similarities and due to those similarities they fit the bill of being part of those words that we need to do a double-take on at times.

The word “obligated” as a verb, means to compel somebody, by biding them legally or morally to meet a legal or moral duty. The word “obliged” also a verb, means the same as “obligated”. However, “obligated” used more in matters of moral duty and “obliged” in matters of the law.

Keep reading to learn more about the meaning and origin of these words. How to use them in sentences and how they are different in certain contexts thou they mean exactly the same.

obligated sign made of balloons

Origin Of The Word “Obligated”

The literal sense of the word “obligated” that came from the Latin was “to put under moral obligation”, which originated from the first definition of the word dated back to the 1540s, which was “to bind or fasten”.

The root of the word and its meaning comes from the Latin word “obligatus” which is the past participle of “obligare” which translated “to put under obligation”.

The term “obligated came from the Old French in the 1300 century, where it was known for agreement to obtain a vow or address circumstances of a deal. However, in the Latin American language, it means a fascinating or pledging activity from history by law enforcement. In the 1600 century, the meaning of obliged was ambushed by the legal Law Enforcement by an acknowledgment of moral indebtedness.

Origin Of The Word “Obliged”

The infinitive form of this verb “oblige” originates from Middle English and the Anglo-French word “obliger”, which at the same time connects to the Latin root word “obligare”. This combination translates to a word that means “to bind”, exactly as “obligated” because of the common root in the Latin word. The only difference here is that “obligate” descends directly from “obligatus” and “oblige” does not.

The term obliged came from the Old French in the 1300 century meaning “to connect by oath”, “put under legal enforcement of one’s belief.” In the 1560s the modern definition implied “preparing someone involved by granting the benefit of kindness.”

Synonyms Of “Obligated” And Their Meanings

  •  Accountable is defined as answerable for whatever you have committed.
  • Beholden is defined as thanking somebody that helped you.
  • Bound is defined as the movement with leaping steps.
  • Indebted is defined as owing someone money or giving thanks for the service provided.
  • Responsibility is defined as proper custody, safekeeping of money of a person.
  • Commitment defines being emotional or loyal, as to believe in another person.
  • Obligatory defines a fraction of a regular course of the activity or cultural goals.
  • Burden is defined as a responsibility or mission that someone has to bear with a heavyweight.
  • Duty is defined as a commitment to perform specific rules or fulfil a particular accomplishment, an important component of evidence in a tort policy.
  • Agreement is defined as a common awareness between the two lawfully qualified individuals or substances about their privileges and responsibilities.

Synonyms Of “Obliged” And Their Meanings

  • Compelled is defined as generating something by the use of strength or tension.
  • Held is defined as avoiding movement or improvement.
  • Accommodate is defined as indicating the equivalence of, to relate or make the outfit by conceit, to revise or fit, as learning to unexpected circumstances.
  • Force is defined as numerous pieces of evidence that affect momentum, guidance, or form. Force is a vector amount.
  • Served is defined as performing duties or responsibilities for another person.
  • Attack is defined as preparing an undertaking to hurt someone or something the effects physical abuse.
  • Obedient is defined as acknowledging consents comply with an order or submissive to another’s permission.
  • Importune is defined as persistently harassing someone to do something for someone even when they do not wish to do so.
  • Condescend is defined as achieving something in an extreme direction to emphasize thought it that one considers, it as below one’s stature or category of importance.
  • Contribute is defined as giving something particularly money to support achievement or empower something.

How to use “Obligated” in a Sentence?

Since the word “obligated” is the past tense of the verb “obligate” when used in a sentence it will take the place of the verb and the conjugation must be in the past in order to use it correctly.

It is important to keep present that when “obligated” is used the commitment placed upon the person that is to do it, is usually of a legal or moral matter that can not be escaped.

Sentence Examples Using the Word “Obligated”

  1. You don’t have to feel obligated to take me with you everywhere you go.
  2. If you don’t need it, don’t feel obligated to purchase it. There is a lot we buy and don’t really need that ends up taking space in our home and eventually, we have to throw out.
  3. Did she feel obligated to join him now? You would think she would never come around to experiencing such feelings.
  4. The least he could do is to be in peace, after all, he was now obligated to continue silent and motionless.
  5. I’m not obligated to talk to you anymore, so please leave me be.
  6. Now that Samuel had demonstrated more understanding than any of your children, I felt obligated to tell Preston the entire news before he discovered we had confided in Samuel immediately.
  7. I leased the car to my own peril, now I am obligated to respond to the accident and hope I can get back the initial investment.
  8. What your son took was an item from our showroom, he will be obligated to bring it back because those items are not souvenirs and there are not for sale.
  9. She was obligated to show in court for the trial as she was the key witness for the case.
  10. The judge was obligated to stop midsession and have a private audience with the lawyers because new information had come to light.

oblige word on dictionary

How to use “Obliged” in a Sentence?

To ensure that you’re using obliged in the right context, it should be used to compel, pressure, or obligate someone to do someone by power or to do as someone desires, or to be indebted to somebody the significant thing to recall.

Ultimately, this word is used in different ways, and to imply a different meaning so it is always used in different contexts and content and to imply different meanings.

Sentence Examples Using the Word “Obliged”

  1. She was obliged to offer an explanation, after all, she was the one person with access to every key in that house and the one that was always there.
  2. I was not obliged to marry, I did it because I wanted to. Though many people thought I had been forced, I had never wanted to do something such much in my life.
  3. They will be obliged to you forever. You saved them from debt and disgrace, that is not something people forget easily.
  4. You opened my eyes to what was happening right under my nose all this time. I am obliged to you for as long as I live.
  5. Everyone is obliged to obey the rules. Anyone who failed to do so would be banned from the facility for life. That is not a laughing matter.
  6. She plotted against her boss for a long time but once he figured out what she had been up to she was obliged to let go of her plans.
  7. I felt much obliged to your family, there are some debts that no time or money can settle.
  8. Public opinion on his performance and lack of results on his job obliged him to resign from the post.
  9. Due to the Covid situation in our area, we are obliged to stay indoors and can only leave our home for essentials shopping.
  10. The government was obliged to make changed to adapt to the changing world and the new external policies.

The Difference Between Obligated vs Obliged

The differences between these words for starters we have their spelling, their pronunciation is also different. The use of each word, despite having the exact same definition is different too. We will use “obliged” for personal matters and to refer to an obligation of a personal nature, also to express a debt or duty related to gratitude.

On the other hand, “obligated” is connected to moral and legal duties, and it is to be used mainly when the context implies such.

Conclusion

obliged sign with balloons in white background

When looking over words like these, confusion can easily reign in but luckily with some mild research and reading you can clarify any doubt and learn when and how to properly use each one.

Think of them as synonyms with a special use. One for all personal matters, “obliged” and one for all matters concerned with a legal and civil duty that can not be avoided “obligated”.