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Definition of compel
compelled
;compelling
transitive verb
1 : to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly Hunger compelled him to eat. The general was compelled to surrender.
2 : to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure Public opinion compelled her to sign the bill.
3 archaic : to drive together
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Examples of compel in a Sentence
Illness compelled him to stay in bed.
We took steps to compel their cooperation.
Recent Examples of compel from the Web
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That’s largely what compelled me and my husband to buy a weekend house there in 2014—a spontaneous indulgence...
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When Andy Mitchell spotted a young man in a fast food uniform walking along the side of a road on a 95-degree summer day in Rockwall, Texas, he felt compelled to pull over.
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But when the prospect of a golf course or housing development threatened to replace the barns and pastures in 1999, Malkemus and Yurgaitis were compelled to jump in—particularly because their home overlooks the farm.
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Major Medicaid cuts would compel Dogwood Village to cut staff, supplies and amenities, changes that would affect the quality of care for all residents, not just those on Medicaid.
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The draft of the AHCA unveiled on Thursday is a tweak of the House bill that the Congressional Budget Office estimated would lead to 24 million Americans losing, or being compelled to forgo, insurance by the year 2026.
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Mattingly then felt compelled to walk Daniel Murphy, with similar results.
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Indeed, his expectation that threatening to oust Mueller might compel him to soft-pedal the F.B.I. probe betrays a remarkable naivete of how Washington, and longtime civil servants like Mueller, operate.
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Indeed, his expectation that threatening to oust Mueller might compel him to soft-pedal the F.B.I. probe betrays a remarkable naivete of how Washington, and longtime civil servants like Mueller, operate.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compel'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
The prefix com- acts as a strengthener in this word; thus, to compel is to drive powerfully, or force. So you may feel compelled to speak to a friend about his drinking, or compelled to reveal a secret in order to prevent something from happening. A compulsion is usually a powerful inner urge; a compulsive shopper or a compulsive gambler usually can't hold onto money for long. You might not want to do something unless there's a compelling reason; however, a compelling film is simply one that seems serious and important.
Origin and Etymology of compel
Middle English compellen, from Anglo-French compeller, from Latin compellere, from com- + pellere to drive — more at felt
Synonym Discussion of compel
COMPEL Defined for English Language Learners
compel
playDefinition of compel for English Language Learners
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: to force (someone) to do something
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: to make (something) happen : to force (something)
COMPEL Defined for Kids
compel
playDefinition of compel for Students
compelled
;compelling
1 : to make (as a person) do something by the use of physical, moral, or mental pressure : force … so greatly did hunger compel him, he was not above taking what did not belong to him. — Jack London, The Call of the Wild
2 : to make happen by force He compelled obedience.
Word Root of compel
The Latin word pellere, meaning “to cause to move” or “to drive,” gives us the root pel. Words from the Latin pellere have something to do with driving or causing something to move. To propel is to drive forward. To compel is to drive someone to do something. To expel is to drive out. To repel is to drive back or away.
Law Dictionary
compel
playLegal Definition of compel
compelled
compelling
: to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure and especially by authority or law cannot compel the defendant to testify the result…is compelled by, the original understanding of the fourteenth amendment's equal protection clause — R. H. Bork
Learn More about compel
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See words that rhyme with compel Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for compel Spanish Central: Translation of compel Nglish: Translation of compel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of compel for Arabic speakers
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