mandatory

mandatory — adjective

1. describes a rule, law, or requirement that people must follow because an authori

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a rule, law, or requirement that people must follow because an authority says so, leaving no room for personal choice

Example

Attendance at the safety training session is mandatory for all new employees.

mandatory for + person/group

In most states, wearing a seat belt while driving is mandatory.

mandatory + gerund phrase as subject

Common collocations
  • mandatory for
  • mandatory attendance
  • mandatory training
  • mandatory reporting
  • mandatory requirement
Synonyms
  • compulsory

    Very similar in meaning; 'compulsory' is more common in education (compulsory education) and military contexts

  • obligatory

    Slightly more formal and often used for social or moral expectations rather than legal rules

  • required

    More general and less formal; fits everyday situations where something is needed as a condition

Antonyms
  • optional

    Describes something you can choose to do or not do

Grammar Patterns

mandatory for + noun/pronoun

mandatory + noun

it is mandatory (for someone) to + infinitive

make it mandatory + to-infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently appears in official notices, legal documents, and workplace policies. Both predicative (after 'is') and attributive (before a noun) uses are equally common.

Common Mistakes

The meeting is mandatory, but I think I will skip it.
The meeting is mandatory, so everyone must attend.
If something is mandatory, you have no choice to skip it; it is not optional.

mandatory — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Mandatory, compulsory, and obligatory all describe something that must be done, but they differ in typical context. Mandatory is most common in workplace and institutional settings (mandatory training, mandatory reporting). Compulsory is widely used in education (compulsory education) and legal systems (compulsory military service). Obligatory is more formal and often describes a moral or social expectation rather than a legal order (tie-wearing is obligatory at the club). Required is the most general and least formal — it fits everyday situations where a condition must be met (a visa is required for entry). In short, mandatory and compulsory are close synonyms for rules backed by authority, while required is broader and lighter in tone.

mandatory ↗compulsory ↗obligatoryrequired

Common collocations

Nouns

  • mandatory requirement
  • mandatory attendance
  • mandatory training
  • mandatory reporting
  • mandatory retirement

Adverbs

  • legally mandatory
  • strictly mandatory
  • absolutely mandatory

Phrases

  • it is mandatory to
  • make it mandatory that
  • it is mandatory for ... to

Prepositions

  • mandatory for
  • mandatory in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'mandatum', meaning 'a command or order', which itself comes from 'mandare' (to order, to entrust) — a combination of 'manus' (hand) and 'dare' (to give). The idea of 'putting something into someone's hand' shifted to 'giving an instruction'. English took the word through French 'mandatoire' in the 16th century.