oblige

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster

Arts, Literature, Language Courses, Education

4.3 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2025

⏱️ 2 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 27, 2025 is:

oblige • \uh-BLYJE\ • verb

To oblige a person or entity to do something is to require or force them to do it, either because of a law or rule, or because it is necessary. To simply oblige someone is to do them a favor.

// The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public.

// When my friend said he needed someone to taste test his new recipe for the cooking competition, I was happy to oblige.

See the entry >

Examples:

“I was irked 30 years ago when our neighbor said she intended to install a free-standing fence between our driveways. … It seemed unneighborly to humans and wildlife alike. We were a family who spent more time outdoors than in, always nearby when our neighbor pulled into her driveway. Once the fence was up, she was no longer obliged to speak to us.” — Margaret Renkl, New York Times, 2 June 2025

Did you know?

If you are obliged by a rule or law you are metaphorically bound by it—that is, you are required to obey it. The idea of binding links the word to its Latin source, ligāre, meaning “to fasten, bind.” But in other common uses, the idea of binding is somewhat masked: it is applied when someone is bound by a debt for some favor or service, as in “We’re much obliged to you for the help,” but in the phrase “happy to oblige” it simply expresses a willingness to do someone a favor, as in “They needed a ride and we were happy to oblige.”

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	It's Merriam Webster's word of the day for June 27th.
0:11.1	Right now at Matalan, we've got cabin cases at just 20 pounds.
0:16.6	Grab yours today, but hurry.
0:18.6	This offer is only available in store and while stocks last.
0:22.4	So once they're gone, they're gone. Get directions to your closest store at matelan.com.uk.
0:29.6	Deasancies apply.
0:32.1	Today's word is oblige, spelled O-B-L-I-G-E.
0:42.6	To oblige a person or entity, to do something is to require or force them to do it, either because of a law or rule or because it is necessary. To simply oblige someone
0:50.1	is to do them a favor. Here's the word used in a sentence from the New York Times.
0:55.0	I was irked 30 years ago when our neighbor said she intended to install a freestanding fence
1:01.0	between our driveways. It seemed unneighborly to humans and wildlife alike. We were a family
1:08.0	who spent more time outdoors than in, always nearby when our neighbor pulled into her driveway.
1:14.3	Once the fence was up, she was no longer obliged to speak to us.
1:19.1	If you are obliged by a rule or law, you are metaphorically bound by it.
1:24.8	That is, you are required to obey it.
1:27.2	The idea of binding links the word to its
1:30.3	Latin source, ligare, meaning to fasten or bind. But in other common uses, the idea of binding
1:37.6	is somewhat masked. It is applied when someone is bound by a debt for some favor or service,
1:47.2	as in we're much obliged to you for the help.
1:53.6	But in the phrase happy to oblige, it simply expresses a willingness to do someone a favor,
1:57.3	as in they needed a ride and we were happy to oblige.
0:00.0	With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sakulowski.
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 27 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Merriam-Webster, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Merriam-Webster and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.