Definition

Adjective: 1. Relating to or constituting an obligation: Pertaining to something that creates or involves a duty, commitment, or binding requirement. 2. Qualified to create a legal or financial obligation: Describing an authority, power, or act that legally binds a party to a future commitment or payment.

Usage and Examples

The adjective "obligational" is primarily used in formal, legal, and financial contexts to describe the nature of a duty or the authority to incur one.

• The contract's obligational clauses clearly outline the duties of each party.
• Congress must approve obligational authority before federal agencies can commit to spending funds.
• The study focused on the obligational aspects of the treaty, rather than its symbolic elements.

Advanced Usage

• Obligational Authority: A specific term in governmental finance referring to the legal power granted to an agency to enter into contracts or other agreements that will require future payments from the treasury.
  • Example: The department received its obligational authority for the new fiscal year.

Variants and Related Words

• Obligation (n): A duty or commitment.
• Obligatory (adj): Required by a rule, law, or custom; mandatory. (Note: "Obligatory" is more common and general, while "obligational" is more technical and specific to creating binding duties.)
• Obligate (v): To bind or compel legally or morally.

Synonyms

• Binding
• Compulsory (in the context of creating a duty)
• Mandatory (in the context of creating a duty)

Antonyms

• Voluntary
• Discretionary
• Optional

Adjective

1. relating or constituting or qualified to create a legal or financial obligation
   • obligational authority