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Language Foundation

obligation

An obligation is a duty that a party to a contract is legally required by the contract to perform.

In plain English

It names something a contract says a party must do. The requirement comes from the contract itself and is legally binding on that party.

In context

Here, “obligation” labels a duty in the contract that a party is required to perform and that is being tracked in the table.

Situation
Tracking obligations, deliverables, milestones, notices, and deadlines
What it communicates
labels a trackable duty item in the contract table.

Meaning limits

The term by itself does not say which party owes the duty or when it must be performed.

Examples

“Under the lease, the tenant had an obligation to repair damage caused by pets.”

Core meaning

“The table marks an obligation as complete once the required repair is done.”

In context

  • duty Broader Term

    In this sense, an obligation is a kind of duty.

  • right Contrast

    A right gives a party an entitlement under a contract, while an obligation requires performance.