obligations
What you owe
Obligations are things you must do—duties, commitments, or responsibilities that bind you.
The word carries a sense of external pressure: you may not want to fulfill an obligation, but something compels you.
She felt an obligation to visit her aging parents.
Legal obligations are enforceable; social obligations carry consequences of a different kind.
Financial obligations are debts or payments owed: He couldn't meet his monthly obligations.
State of being answerable
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- taskWork to be done
- chargeCost or accusation
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
assignment · role · function · service · office · burden · stewardship · guardianship
Binding promise given
- promiseCommitment to act
- vowSolemn personal commitment
- oathFormal binding promise
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
loyalty · dedication · allegiance · fidelity · steadfastness · adherence · engagement · bond
Study of right conduct
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- dutyRequired moral task
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
righteousness · principles · integrity · decency · rectitude · propriety · altruism · benevolence
Enforceable written agreement
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- statuteEnacted written rule
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- enforcementCompelling compliance with rules
jurisdiction · treaty · legislation · binding · covenant · stipulation · terms · breach
Binding tie or connection
- securitiesTradeable financial assets
- treasuryStored organizational funds
- couponCertificate for reduced price
- yieldProduce or relinquish
maturity · debt · loan · mortgage · creditor · borrower · repayment · default
Habitual group practice
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- hospitalityGenerous treatment of guests
filial · kinship · community · expectation · norm · propriety · decorum · courtesy
responsibility
State of being answerable
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- taskWork to be done
- chargeCost or accusation
mandate · assignment · role · function · service · office · burden · stewardship · guardianship · custody
pledge
Binding promise given
devotion · loyalty · dedication · allegiance · fidelity · steadfastness · adherence · engagement · bond · troth
ethics
Study of right conduct
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- dutyRequired moral task
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
honor · righteousness · principles · integrity · decency · rectitude · propriety · altruism · benevolence · charity
contract
Enforceable written agreement
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- statuteEnacted written rule
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
enforcement · jurisdiction · treaty · legislation · binding · covenant · stipulation · terms · breach · remedy
bond
Binding tie or connection
- securitiesTradeable financial assets
- treasuryStored organizational funds
- couponCertificate for reduced price
yield · maturity · debt · loan · mortgage · creditor · borrower · repayment · default · interest
custom
Habitual group practice
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
hospitality · filial · kinship · community · expectation · norm · propriety · decorum · courtesy · respect
- pressurespeer pressure, stress, tension, strain, burden
- obligationsjury duty, contract, military service, agreement, voting
- Dharmadharma, sacred duty, religious duty, righteousness, moral law
- Jewish contractsketubah, loan agreement, binding agreements, sale contract, written contract
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, take responsibility, answerability
- adulthoodadulting, maturity, responsibilities, responsibility, milestones
obligationsoptions
Available courses of action
choices · freedoms · privileges · voluntary actions · liberties
obligationsrights
Justified claims to freedoms
entitlements · privileges · claims · dues · benefits
obligationsliberty
Absence of unjust constraint
freedom · exemptions · releases · release · dispensations
- social obligationRequired interpersonal duty
- familial obligationsDuties owed to relatives
- no obligationNo requirement to act
- moral obligationEthics-based required action
- family obligationsResponsibilities toward one's relatives
- landlord obligationsWhat property owners owe tenants