as in friendly
willing to do a favor
an obliging concierge used her pull to get us reservations at the town's hottest restaurant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in accommodating
to do a service or favor for
I would appreciate it greatly if you could oblige me by bringing a dessert to the party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in coercing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
I know you're in a hurry, but you can't oblige me to drive any faster than the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obliging
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
Texas coach Sean Miller wanted better defense, and the Horns are obliging.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obliging
Adjective
Watson, who’s been transparent about his approach to a contract year, is happily obliging.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
Texas coach Sean Miller wanted better defense, and the Horns are obliging.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
Black has sometimes driven for miles to a particular cemetery only to find a funeral under way, obliging him to leave empty-handed.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obliging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliging
Adjective
-
The shows are accompanied by similar drops in ad revenue and increasing production costs, an ongoing shift to digital viewership, political constraints and publicity-friendly interview questions.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Putin presided over a parade that featured hardware such as the Geran-2, the Russian version of Iran’s Shahed drone, and played host to friendly leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The robots then pick up the ball and copy the instructor's behavior, adjusting for their own position and accommodating their non-human bodies.—
Katia Riddle,
NPR,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The remaining two residences are larger, each with a fourth bedroom and accommodating up to 11 adults.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Prior to his 2011 conviction, Jeffs was charged and convicted of being an accomplice to rape in September 2007 after coercing a 14-year-old to marry her 19-year-old cousin, though the ruling was later overturned by the Utah Supreme Court over faulty jury instructions, according to CBS News.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Indonesia responded the following day by coercing the UDT and APODETI, among others, into issuing and signing the Balibo Declaration, which proclaimed the integration of East Timor into Indonesia.—
Agathe Demarolle,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, publicly acknowledged discussions between the two governments last week and pledged a series of reforms aimed at appeasing Washington, a concession that indicated both the urgency of the domestic crisis and the vulnerability of the regime.—
Sarah Fitzpatrick,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
-
But then appeasing tradition and upending it both at once, which certainly is the pragmatic philosophy of Lyric, always is a tricky matter.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Things quickly changed, however, as Orlando’s defense stopped forcing turnovers and its offense came to a halt.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The staff union picketed outside the SAG-AFTRA building, where those negotiations were held for the first two weeks, blocking entrances to the parking garage and forcing negotiators to cross a picket line to get inside.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump last week publicly triggered the idea of the government assisting the airline, which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since August of last year.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Red Cross was also on the scene, assisting the 16 residents displaced.—
Elijah Westbrook,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On March 17, the House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to Bondi, compelling her to sit for a deposition about the DOJ's handling of the Epstein files on April 14.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Justice Department initially said that its release, made in response to a law passed by Congress compelling the agency to disclose nearly all files related to Epstein, comprised more than 3 million pages.—
Elliott Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After decades of delighting fans with her brilliant performances in comedies like Private Benjamin, Overboard and The First Wives Club, Hawn is turning to a different medium to spread the power of positivity.—
Eric Andersson,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The rise of Bernie Sanders’ preferred Senate candidate in Michigan is frustrating moderates, delighting progressives, and testing the sway of Democratic leaders in a race that will likely determine the party’s shot at a Senate majority.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obliging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliging. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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