Obligated vs. Obliged

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These two words kind of make you want to bob your head to the cadence of that groovy Beatles song. However,  because it has half the syllables of the other, “obliged” is often mistaken for “obligated”.

Though the words obliged (ə’blɑɪdʒ) and obligated (‘ɔbləgɛɪtəd) have the same root word meaning “to bind to”, the etymology of the former states that it comes from obligatus, the past participle of the aforementioned root word. Therefore, we can assume a completed action or scenario, such as an agreement or contract. Also, the dictionary provides an alternative definition for obliged: “to do something as a favor”.

So, to help clarify, let’s tap into the world of the Fab Four just a bit:

• Desmond is now obligated to provide for Molly, thick and thin.
• Father Mackenzie was asked to wed the couple, and he obliged.

Now, as the song goes, “if you want some fun, sing obladi-blada.”