compulsion
noun
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Definition of compulsion
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Synonyms for compulsion
Synonyms
arm-twisting, coercion, constraint, duress, force, pressure
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Examples of compulsion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Partly that’s due to the straightforward virtuosity of his playing, and partly to his compulsion to transcend and blend styles. — New York Times, "13 Pop, Rock and Jazz Concerts to Check Out in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 31 May 2018 This movie, directed by Ben Lewin from a Robert Rodat script (one adapted from Nicholas Dawidoff’s fascinating 1994 biography of Berg), relishes Berg’s compulsion to remain an enigma even to those closest to him. — Robert Rodat, New York Times, "Review: ‘The Catcher Was a Spy’ Shares a Peculiar History Lesson," 21 June 2018 That could be germs, worry about a fire, or a personal safety concern (though compulsions aren't always logically linked to an obsession). — Korin Miller, SELF, "What's the Difference Between Occasional Obsessive Thoughts and OCD?," 1 June 2018 His compulsion fed a lyricism that separated him from peers. — Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "The 'Bipolar Rock 'N' Roller' calls some of combat sports' biggest events. But his real fight is against the stigma of mental illness," 23 May 2018 Eighty minutes had not absolved me of my compulsion to check in—with my inbox, my text messages, Instagram DMs, Twitter notifications, and more. — Carrie Battan, Harper's BAZAAR, "Escaping the Seduction of Your Smartphone," 26 July 2018 If smartphones are indeed a social concern, bureaucracy offers one way to break the back of their compulsion. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Driving Without a Smartphone," 10 July 2018 Balzac's Sylvain Pons, Proust's Charles Swann, and, most of all, Huysmans's Jean des Esseintes are all presented as victims of an insatiable affliction, the obsessive compulsion to possess. — James Mcauley, Town & Country, "A Secret Paris Museum and an Aristocratic Family Decimated by the Holocaust," 9 Feb. 2017 However, the accusations made by Evans and the unnamed woman involved forcible compulsion and therefore were not subject to a statute of limitations under a New York law changed in 2001. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, "Harvey Weinstein’s Arrest Marks a Pivotal Turning Point for the #MeToo Movement," 25 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compulsion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for compulsion
compulsion
noun
English Language Learners Definition of compulsion
See the full definition for compulsion in the English Language Learners Dictionary
compulsion
noun
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Kids Definition of compulsion
compulsion
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Medical Definition of compulsion
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compulsion
noun
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Legal Definition of compulsion
Note: Compulsion can make a contract voidable or be a ground for damages or restitution. Compulsion may also be a defense to a criminal act.
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