obliging
adjective C2
Plain meaning
helpful and willing to do what someone asks
Exam-register meaning
In formal or high-level texts, it is used to describe helpful and willing to do what someone asks, often with a precise or specialised tone.
In context
naturalHis response sounded obliging, so the conversation became difficult.
examThe passage presents a obliging assessment of the policy’s wider consequences.
Common collocations
a obliging responseobliging behavioura obliging situation
Watch out
Do not use “very obliging” automatically; some advanced adjectives already carry a strong meaning or need a more natural intensifier.
Word family
obligingness (noun, where natural)obligingly (adverb, where natural)