How to pronounce "obligate" in EnglishNoun
ˈɒblɪɡeɪt
OB·lih·gayt
Primary stress: OB
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
No video clips indexed yet for “obligate”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “obligate”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
OB
Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.
lih
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
gayt
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("OB"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America.
How Native Speakers Say It: In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "obligate" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Practice Speaking “obligate”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
That progress has taken over ten years and £20 million to bring to fruition. But, as Mands explains, the journey has been one that HSG has been almost obligated to undertake. "First and foremost, this is an environmental project," she says.
Hear it in context: “obligate”
The English word “obligate” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈɒblɪɡeɪt (phonetic respelling: OB-lih-gayt). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (OB · lih · gayt), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (OB). Grammatically, “obligate” functions as a verb, adjective, noun and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. Hear native speakers say obligate in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “obligate”
- To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.
- To cause to be grateful or indebted; to oblige.
- Requiring a (specified) way of life, habitat, etc.
- Indispensable; essential; necessary; obligatory; mandatory; unavoidably invoked.
- An obligate organism.
Example Sentences (2)
- “That progress has taken over ten years and £20 million to bring to fruition. But, as Mands explains, the journey has been one that HSG has been almost obligated to undertake. "First and foremost, this is an environmental project," she says.”
- “[A]nalysis of the chemical composition of their bones reveals that they were obligate carnivores.”
Pronounce: “obligate”
- Pronunciation:
- OB-lih-gayt
- Syllables:
- OB · lih · gayt
- Written Hyphenation:
- ob · li · gate
- Primary stress:
- OB
- IPA:
- ˈɒblɪɡeɪt
- Hear it in context
- obligate
Synonyms: “obligate”
Hear words related in meaning to “obligate” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “obligate”
-ɒblɪgeɪtWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"obligate" (⁄ˈɒblɪɡeɪt⁄) has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "obligate" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about obligate
How do you pronounce “obligate”?
“obligate” is pronounced ⁄ˈɒblɪɡeɪt⁄ (OB-lih-gayt). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “obligate”?
“obligate” has 3 syllables: OB · lih · gayt.
Where is the stress in “obligate”?
The primary stress in “obligate” is on “OB”.
What does “obligate” mean?
To bind, compel, constrain, or oblige by a social, legal, or moral tie.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “obligate”?
Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America. In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].