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Glite Dictionary
to disoblige

to disoblige

8.9
To refuse or fail to do what someone asks, causing them trouble and upset
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsəˈblaɪdʒ/
translation icon : desatender
  • She felt guilty for having to disoblige her brother by saying no to his request.

Examples

  • I don't want to disoblige my friends by refusing their invitation to the party.

  • It's important to balance honesty and kindness; sometimes you must disoblige people to be truthful.

  • YOUR MOTHER CERTAINLY HAD THE INCLINATION -- CLEARLY MARRYING TO DISOBLIGE HER FAMILY.

    Mansfield Park (1999)

Synonyms

to bother
vsto disoblige
∞ 1.0

To annoy or disturb someone

leans toward refusing to help or causing practical inconvenience instead
to trouble
vsto disoblige
174 1.8

To cause someone worry or bother

focuses on refusing help or irritating others rather than only causing worry
to put out
vsto disoblige
43 5.8

Cause someone trouble by making things difficult for them

refuses requests or displeases others not just causing minor discomfort
to inconvenience
vsto disoblige
37 4.9

To cause trouble or difficulty for someone

refuses or fails requests and causes annoyance beyond practical trouble
to displease
vsto disoblige
28 4.7

To make someone feel annoyed or unhappy

is more about refusing requests and causing practical inconvenience
to dissatisfy
vsto disoblige
1 4.3

To make someone unhappy because something does not meet their needs or wants

is about refusing requests or causing inconvenience, not just unmet expectations
to disgruntle
vsto disoblige
1 8.0

To make someone feel unhappy or annoyed

is more about denying requests or causing practical trouble than mood only
to discommode
vsto disoblige
  • Archaic
9.9

To cause someone a little trouble or discomfort

can involve refusing requests as well as causing discomfort
to incommode
vsto disoblige
  • Archaic
9.9

To bother someone by causing them trouble or discomfort

also includes refusal or displeasure beyond mild discomfort

Antonyms

to oblige
81 4.1

To do a favor for someone when they ask

How Unhelpful

to stonewall
  • Literature
42 7.8
to spurn
26 7.7
to disoblige
8.9
to refuse
716 1.7
to decline
272 3.4

Surface Forms

disoblige infinitive
disobliged past
disobliged past participle
disobliging present participle
disobliges third person singular

Morphology

disoblige = oblige (semi-transparent) = dis + oblige

If a learner knows 'oblige' in the sense 'do someone a favour', 'disoblige' is fairly interpretable as refusing or failing to do so, though the broader sense 'cause displeasure or inconvenience' is somewhat lexicalized.

Etymology

Disoblige begins with dis- meaning 'not' and oblige, which means 'to do a favor' or 'to bind'. So to disoblige someone is to not do a favor for them, or to cause them trouble or upset, which is how we use the word today.