Mandatory is most often used to describe something that is requiredneeded because a rule, law, or other condition says so by rule or law. It can also be a noun in older or more specialized usage, referring to a recipientperson or group that receives something of a mandateofficial authority or order to govern a territory or act or to a League of Nations–style mandate territory.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈmæn.də.tɔːr.i/
Easy pronunciation: MAN-duh-TOR-ee (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on the first syllable.
Adjective sense meaning required by rule; not optional.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Mandatory Meaning
something you must do
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: required by rule; not optional
Example: Attendance is mandatory for all students.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- compulsory — A direct substitute in the same sense.
- required — Works well when something is officially needed or expected.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Mandatory
Meaning 2
a person or body that receives a mandate
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the recipient of a mandate
Example: The term is used in older political writing.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- mandatary — The direct noun synonym for this sense.
Meaning 3
a territory placed under another country's administration
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a territory surrendered after World War I and governed by another European power until it could govern itself
Example: The former mandate was administered by a foreign power.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- mandate — This is the noun used for this historical sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Mandatory Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- compulsory
- required
noun: recipient of a mandate
- mandatary
noun: historical territory under foreign administration
- mandate
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse mandatory with mandate. Mandatory is usually an adjective meaning required, while mandate is a noun or verb.
- The noun senses are rare or historical, so most everyday uses of mandatory are adjectival.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does mandatory mean?
Mandatory means required or compulsory. If something is mandatory, you have to do it.
What is a synonym for mandatory?
For the main adjective sense, good synonyms are compulsory and required.
Is mandatory a noun or an adjective?
It is most commonly an adjective. It can also be a noun in older or specialized historical usage.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-29. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
