obligate

/ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/

//ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"obligate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“obligate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #48,936 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#48,936
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

obligate vs oblige
75% similar
obligate vs obligated
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for obligate
PropertyValue
Headwordobligate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#48,936
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “obligate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). obligate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for obligate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #48,936 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for obligate, with forms such as "boligate", "obbligate", and "obilgate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "oblige", "obligated", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1533; borrowed from Latin obligātus, perfect passive participle of obligō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of oblige, taken through French. The correct English form is obligate, spelled O-B-L-I-G-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.
  2. 2
    To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.
  3. 3
    To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

Etymology

First attested in 1533; borrowed from Latin obligātus, perfect passive participle of obligō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of oblige, taken through French.

Synonyms

also: force: Synonyms

This word in other languages

obligar(Español)obrigação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: boligate,obbligate,obilgate,oblgiate,obliagte,obligaet,obligatte,obliggate,obligtae,oblligate,olbigate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of obligate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

boligate2obbligate1obilgate2oblgiate2obliagte2obligaet2obligatte1obliggate1
Edit distance from "obligate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "obligate"?
"obligate" is spelled O-B-L-I-G-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/.
What does "obligate" mean?
As a verb, "obligate" means: To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.
What words are commonly confused with "obligate"?
"obligate" is commonly confused with "oblige", "obligated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "obligate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "obligate" is /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "obligate"?
First attested in 1533; borrowed from Latin obligātus, perfect passive participle of obligō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of oblige, taken through French. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “obligate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-B-L-I-G-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɒb.lɪˌɡeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “oblige” - see the side-by-side comparison. obligate vs oblige
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list