obligatory

/əˈblɪɡətri/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈblɪɡətɔːri/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈbli-gə-ˌtȯr-ē ä-, ˈä-bli-gə-/ (ame, mw)

obligatory — adjective

  • obligatorypositive
  • more obligatorycomparative
  • most obligatorysuperlative

1. required because a rule, law, or clear duty says it has to happen

1.形容詞B2
釋義

required because a rule, law, or clear duty says it has to happen

例句

All first-year students complete the obligatory lab safety course in September.

collocation: obligatory course

At this factory, helmets are obligatory on the production floor.

pattern: be obligatory + place

同義詞
  • mandatory

    very close, especially in rules and official instructions

  • compulsory

    common for school, law, and government requirements

  • required

    broader everyday word with a less formal tone

反義詞
  • optional

    describes something people may choose to include or skip

  • voluntary

    focuses on free choice rather than an imposed rule

文法句型

be obligatory

obligatory course

make something obligatory

用法筆記

Often used in official writing about laws, school rules, and formal duties. Stronger and more formal than required when the speaker wants to stress obligation.

常見錯誤

❌The museum visit is optional for nobody.
✅The museum visit is obligatory for all students.
💡obligatory directly states that the rule requires everyone to do it.

2. included because people expect it as part of the usual routine, even when it is

2.形容詞C1
釋義

included because people expect it as part of the usual routine, even when it is not truly needed

例句

After the speech came the obligatory thank-you to the event sponsors.

collocation: obligatory thank-you

Daniel and Aoi paused for the obligatory photo outside the new restaurant.

collocation: obligatory photo

同義詞
  • customary

    stresses that something is usual in a social or cultural setting

  • expected

    more neutral and does not suggest irony by itself

  • ritual

    stronger and more figurative, often for repeated social behaviour

反義詞
  • spontaneous

    happens naturally instead of as a routine gesture

  • genuine

    emphasizes real feeling rather than a socially expected performance

文法句型

obligatory photo

obligatory smile

obligatory joke

用法筆記

Often used with nouns like smile, joke, photo, or comment. It can sound mildly humorous or critical, suggesting the action is done from habit or social expectation rather than real feeling.

常見錯誤

❌The visa interview is obligatory small talk.
✅The visa interview includes the obligatory small talk.
💡this sense usually describes a routine part of an event, not the whole event itself.