as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
in that class I read books under compulsion that I ordinarily wouldn't have considered
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Recent Examples of compulsion
Writing arrived as a compulsion, transmuting grief into something palatable and art-like, like a View-Master stereoscope with kaleidoscope slides.
—
Eli Raphael, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
The episodes will focus on the interview subject’s compulsion to create, an obsession for Mason who grew up with a stepfather who was a portrait artist.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
That last sentence springs straight from Melville’s first chapter — for him, and for Wilson, too, a schoolboy’s compulsion toward the sea is no different from an artist’s to make art.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Writing, on the other hand, is my lifeline—a compulsion, a joy, and sometimes agony.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Eli Raphael, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
The episodes will focus on the interview subject’s compulsion to create, an obsession for Mason who grew up with a stepfather who was a portrait artist.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
That last sentence springs straight from Melville’s first chapter — for him, and for Wilson, too, a schoolboy’s compulsion toward the sea is no different from an artist’s to make art.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Writing, on the other hand, is my lifeline—a compulsion, a joy, and sometimes agony.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
-
While the Patriots could have caved to the pressure, Cash said the group was ready to adjust.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
-
The knockout stage is where the stakes get higher and the pressure becomes stifling.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
City attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite told council members the moratorium cannot be applied to projects that were already approved because of constraints within state law.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
Some Saratoga residents backed renewing the city’s public service contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office as councilmembers continued to keep their policing options open amid budget constraints.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
That's not freedom, that's coercion.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
This means coercion of local stations and national networks would violate the law.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
Noun
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The most serious charge in the indictment, witness intimidation, was levied against Hakim and Feyock.—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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Each has a role to play in creating environments where frontline employees can do their jobs without fear of intimidation or violence.—
Alliance Manchester Business School,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Countries with large populations of Venezuelan migrants, including Peru and Colombia, have accused the group of being behind a spree of violence in the region.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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In Port-au-Prince, where chronic electricity shortages and gang violence have disrupted daily life for years, residents have been preparing communal viewing areas so supporters can watch the match together.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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