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 At a time like this, poetry must embrace a compulsion for awareness. — Literary Hub, 26 June 2026 There’s this prevailing sentiment of perseverance in spite of grief, and a compulsion to dedicate his success to those who witnessed the journey. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
  1. pressure
  2. constraint
  3. coercion
  4. intimidation
  5. violence
Noun
  • Zepeda comes forward and throws volume, which is exactly the input Roach's counterpunching needs to look spectacular and exactly the pressure that has troubled him when the scorecards got close.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The Yankees should see a mediocre American League as an opportunity for a second pennant in three years; Aaron Judge’s uncertain injury status applies more pressure to do something at the deadline to chase down the Rays in the AL East.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • Device fragmentation, network variability, OS-level constraints, battery states and memory limits are not edge cases.
    — Jim Douglas, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Over the weekend of July 18 to July 19, OpenAI employees began to see signs in their systems that the agent had escaped from the testing constraints.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of constraint
Noun
  • These are predictable outcomes of a system that exposes women, often in isolation, to contact with unknown men under conditions shaped by coercion, stigma, and inequality.
    — Judy Harris Kluger, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • The decision must be voluntary, informed, and free of coercion.
    — Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of coercion
Noun
  • But fears of future intimidation do not excuse preemptive capitulation.
    — Ivan Oransky, STAT, 31 July 2026
  • Majorities of Americans are worried about election officials being coerced, lax ballot security, and voter intimidation leading up to the 2026 midterm elections, according to new polling from Gallup.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of intimidation
Noun
  • Fred Mosqueda, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, traces his people's homeland long before Colorado became a territory — and to the violence that followed westward expansion as the country developed.
    — Anna Alejo, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • In the following years, TPS was extended as widespread political and gang violence endangered those still living in Haiti.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 31 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 2 Aug. 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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