1. Willing to help or do what is asked: This is the most common meaning. It implies someone is kind and helpful, ready to accommodate others' requests.
* Example: "The waiter was very obliging and helped us choose a good wine."
2. Constrained by obligation or duty: This meaning implies someone is forced to do something, often against their own wishes.
* Example: "She felt obliged to attend the meeting, even though she wasn't interested in the topic."
3. Satisfying or pleasing to someone: This meaning is less common but can be used to describe something that meets a person's needs.
* Example: "The hotel staff went out of their way to make our stay obliging."
Here are some synonyms for obliging:
* Helpful
* Cooperative
* Accommodating
* Willing
* Agreeable
* Compliant
Here are some antonyms for obliging:
* Unhelpful
* Uncooperative
* Stubborn
* Reluctant
* Disobliging
The specific meaning of "obliging" will be clear from the context in which it is used.