compulsion

noun

kəm-ˈpəl-shən How to pronounce compulsion (audio)
Definition of compulsionnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of compulsion In the nineteen-seventies, hospice care evolved as more people resisted the compulsion to extend life at all costs, preferring instead to focus on dying comfortably, often at home. — Sunita Puri, New Yorker, 6 June 2026 Writers write from compulsion, from necessity. — Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026 For me, one of these compulsions ended up being using the tracking app. — Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 22 May 2026 In a clinical setting, mental health experts call such actions compulsions – behaviors that feel impossible to resist – are fueled by obsessive thoughts and eventually begin to interfere with a person’s ability to lead a normal, healthy life. — Jordyn Tovey, The Conversation, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
  1. pressure
  2. constraint
  3. coercion
  4. intimidation
  5. violence
Noun
  • Aquarius has played host to researchers observing the marine life around them, studying the effects of long term pressure on the human body, learning best practices for remote robotic surgery and even growing food and fungi underwater.
    — Alex Harris July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • Lamine Yamal gets last laugh Spain winger Lamine Yamal put pressure on his teammates with some of his prematch trash talk.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • Newsom trimmed California’s initial commitment to local newsrooms in the program’s first year from $100 million, with $55 million coming from Google, to $10 million, from the state and Google each, in response to budgetary constraints.
    — Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • The company's approach could address one of the central constraints facing Apple's AI strategy.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 14 July 2026
Definition of constraint
Noun
  • The decision must be voluntary, informed, and free of coercion.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The key risk lies not in policy convergence but in setting precedents that blur the boundaries between law enforcement, coercion and commerce.
    — John Calabrese, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Definition of coercion
Noun
  • The pattern includes shootings and attacks on farmers, as well as arson, property destruction, road obstruction, and the intimidation or expulsion of entire communities.
    — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of violence and intimidation, including a fake swatting call to police about Barrett’s home in May.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of intimidation
Noun
  • Normalizing violence should, in itself, be a red line, and its resumption or threat not reduced to a throwaway remark.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Authorities said the pair, together with co-defendant Ramon De Jesus Velasquez Martinez, used firearms and threats of violence to intimidate victims into compliance.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of violence

Browse Nearby Words

comps
compulsion
compulsions
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Cite this Entry

“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on compulsion

Nglish: Translation of compulsion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about compulsion

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