# obligate vs oblige

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### obligate
*verb · IPA /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/ · frequency rank #48,936*
To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

### oblige
*verb · IPA /əˈblaɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #25,505*
To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/obligate-vs-oblige