obliging
adjective
oblig·ing ə-ˈblī-jiŋ 
: willing to do favors : helpful
obligingly adverb
obligingness noun
Synonyms
- accommodating
- accommodative
- friendly
- indulgent
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
An obliging passerby helped her with her packages. an obliging concierge used her pull to get us reservations at the town's hottest restaurant
Recent Examples on the Web These are particularly specious claims, especially given that Trump’s recklessness (or toughness, depending on your perspective) was never really applied to Russia or Putin, to whom Trump tended to be pliant and obliging. 
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 23 Feb. 2022 But history is rarely so obliging about the timing and particulars of its dramatic turns. Editorial Board, Star Tribune, 2 July 2021 Noble, 26, is best known for riding her own four-legged mirror, an obliging Appaloosa named Dapper Dan, through downtown Oakland during last year’s Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 June 2021 The state Legislature has proved less obliging than the city, with Republican lawmakers opposing a $300 million relief package for Twin Cities businesses, contending that Minneapolis officials mishandled the crisis a year ago. Martin Kuz, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 2021 Modi has used these levers to turn some of the biggest names in India’s news industry from barking watchdogs into obliging poodles. Debasish Roy Chowdhury, Time, 3 May 2021 Few opponents will be more obliging over the next month as South Korea, a country competing in its third Women's World Cup but which has only one victory at the tournament to its name. Aimee Lewis, CNN, 7 June 2019 New York City, after all, can be a most obliging co-star to its population of unwitting actors, who are always putting on a show. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 19 June 2018 Langford will keep obliging and tickets will keep selling. Dakota Crawford, Indianapolis Star, 5 June 2018 See More
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 23 Feb. 2022 But history is rarely so obliging about the timing and particulars of its dramatic turns. Editorial Board, Star Tribune, 2 July 2021 Noble, 26, is best known for riding her own four-legged mirror, an obliging Appaloosa named Dapper Dan, through downtown Oakland during last year’s Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 June 2021 The state Legislature has proved less obliging than the city, with Republican lawmakers opposing a $300 million relief package for Twin Cities businesses, contending that Minneapolis officials mishandled the crisis a year ago. Martin Kuz, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 May 2021 Modi has used these levers to turn some of the biggest names in India’s news industry from barking watchdogs into obliging poodles. Debasish Roy Chowdhury, Time, 3 May 2021 Few opponents will be more obliging over the next month as South Korea, a country competing in its third Women's World Cup but which has only one victory at the tournament to its name. Aimee Lewis, CNN, 7 June 2019 New York City, after all, can be a most obliging co-star to its population of unwitting actors, who are always putting on a show. Ben Brantley, New York Times, 19 June 2018 Langford will keep obliging and tickets will keep selling. Dakota Crawford, Indianapolis Star, 5 June 2018 See More Word History
Etymology
from present participle of oblige
First Known Use
1632, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
obliging
adjective
oblig·ing
ə-ˈblī-jiŋ
: willing to do favors
obliging 1 of 2
adjective
as in friendly
willing to do a favor an obliging concierge used her pull to get us reservations at the town's hottest restaurant Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- friendly
- accommodating
- accommodative
- solicitous
- helpful
- indulgent
- considerate
- amenable
- agreeable
- gracious
- complaisant
- lenient
- thoughtful
- permissive
- overindulgent
obliging
2 of 2verb
1
as in accommodating
to do a service or favor for I would appreciate it greatly if you could oblige me by bringing a dessert to the party Synonyms & Similar Words
- accommodating
- appeasing
- assisting
- delighting
- pleasing
- indulging
- satisfying
- favoring
- helping
- humoring
- conciliating
- placating
- aiding
- mollifying
- gratifying
- mollycoddling
- comforting
- coddling
- pampering
- pacifying
- relieving
- supporting
- abetting
- gladdening
- succoring
- attending
- ministering (to)
- caring (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bothering
- disobliging
- troubling
- disturbing
- weighing
- burdening
- failing
- encumbering
- inconveniencing
- saddling
- restraining
- disappointing
- constraining
- opposing
- deserting
- obstructing
- hindering
- impeding
- hampering
- thwarting
- hobbling
- incommoding
- discommoding
- letting down
- holding back
- frustrating
- sabotaging
- hamstringing
2
as in coercing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure I know you're in a hurry, but you can't oblige me to drive any faster than the speed limit Synonyms & Similar Words
- coercing
- forcing
- compelling
- obligating
- pressuring
- constraining
- blackmailing
- dragooning
- driving
- impressing
- impelling
- intimidating
- pressing
- muscling
- making
- threatening
- sandbagging
- hectoring
- bullying
- cowing
- browbeating
- badgering
- blackjacking
- harassing
- menacing
- bulldozing
- terrorizing
- dragging
- shaming
- hounding
- twisting one's arm
- high-pressuring
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- permitting
- allowing
- letting
- moving
- satisfying
- inducing
- talking (into)
- arguing
- prevailing (on or upon)
- winning (over)
- persuading
- convincing
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of obliging are amiable, complaisant, and good-natured. While all these words mean "having the desire or disposition to please," obliging stresses a friendly readiness to be helpful.
our obliging innkeeper found us a bigger room
The words amiable and obliging can be used in similar contexts, but amiable implies having qualities that make one liked and easy to deal with.
an amiable teacher not easily annoyed
While in some cases nearly identical to obliging, complaisant often implies passivity or a yielding to others because of weakness.
was too complaisant to protest a decision he thought unfair
The meanings of good-natured and obliging largely overlap; however, good-natured implies cheerfulness or helpfulness and sometimes a willingness to be imposed upon.
a good-natured girl who was always willing to pitch in