it was obligated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was obligated" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would typically be "it was obligated to" followed by an action or duty. Example: "The company stated that it was obligated to provide a safe working environment for all employees."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

He said AT&T was reviewing its contract with Microsoft to determine whether it was obligated to make room for it as a result of the original DTC-5000 commitment.

The New York Times

In another example, insurer John Hancock Financial Services explained that it was obligated to shareholders to sell its downtown Boston office buildings because it would be irresponsible not to take advantage of the current real estate market.

Forbes

It made its choice final this week, three weeks before it was obligated to do so.

Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday, JPMorgan said it had added $1 billion to its reserves to cover faulty home loans that it was obligated to repurchase from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and private insurers.

The New York Times

The Israeli military issued a short statement on Wednesday, saying it was investigating whether its use of phosphorous weapons was improper and reiterating that it was "obligated to international law" in the matter.

The New York Times

Swift has said that its role in the program was never voluntary, but that it was obligated to comply with a valid subpoena, and had worked to narrow the range of data it provided to American officials.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Under accounting rules, to the degree that investment growth swells a pension fund's assets beyond its liabilities -- what it is obligated to pay pensioners -- the gains can feed directly into the profits of a company.

The New York Times

"Because of what's going on in America, every employer, regardless of its financial wherewithal, believes it's obligated to cut the costs of front-line employees," Mr. Cohen said.

The New York Times

It wants more of the cash to go into destroying its vast stockpiles of chemical weapons (which it is obligated to get rid of under the Chemical Weapons Convention) and dismantling decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines (an acknowledged environmental hazard).

The Economist

As a REIT, a publicly traded company that owns income-producing real estate, it is obligated to distribute at least 90percentt of its taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends.

The New York Times

It is obligated to put at least seven games in prime time before the playoffs.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always follow "obligated" with "to" and an infinitive verb (e.g., "it was obligated to comply"). This completes the grammatical structure and clarifies the duty or action.

Common error

Avoid using "obligated" without the preposition "to" followed by a verb. Saying "it was obligated comply" is grammatically incorrect; instead, use "it was obligated to comply."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was obligated" typically functions as part of a clause expressing a past duty or requirement. It indicates that a subject had a responsibility or legal requirement to perform a specific action. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically incorrect without the addition of "to" followed by a verb.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it was obligated" commonly appears in news and media, science, and formal business contexts to express a past duty or requirement. However, Ludwig AI notes that it is grammatically incorrect without the preposition "to" and a subsequent verb. To ensure grammatical correctness, always use "it was obligated to" followed by a verb. Although the phrase is common, paying attention to proper usage will improve clarity and credibility in writing. Alternatives such as "it was required to" and "it was bound to" provide similar meanings with potentially better grammatical clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was required to

Focuses on a formal requirement or rule.

it was bound to

Suggests a strong inevitability or destiny.

it was compelled to

Emphasizes an external force or pressure causing the obligation.

it had a duty to

Highlights the moral or ethical aspect of the obligation.

it was under an obligation to

A more formal and explicit way of stating the obligation.

it was its responsibility to

Focuses on the assigned role or task.

it was incumbent upon it to

A more formal and less common way to express duty or responsibility.

it was necessitated to

Emphasizes the circumstances that made the action necessary.

it was crucial to

Emphasizes importance and critical need.

it was essential to

Indicates the fundamental need for something to occur.

FAQs

How to use "it was obligated" correctly in a sentence?

The correct usage of "it was obligated" requires the addition of "to" followed by a verb, like in "it was obligated to comply". Without "to", the sentence is grammatically incomplete.

What can I say instead of "it was obligated to"?

You can use alternatives like "it was required to", "it was bound to", or "it was compelled to" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "it was obligated to" or "it was obligated"?

"It was obligated to" is the grammatically correct form. The phrase "it was obligated" is incomplete without the "to" and the subsequent verb.

What's the difference between "it was obligated to" and "it was required to"?

While both phrases convey a sense of duty, "it was obligated to" often implies a moral or contractual duty, whereas "it was required to" usually refers to a formal rule or regulation.