Examples of compulsory in a Sentence
To free the mind and the heart from compulsory religious confession and observance was good for all three interested parties: the state, the church and the people.
—
Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2009
So he wants a private life and no photographs and nobody to know his home address. I can dig it, I can relate to that (but, like he should try it when it's compulsory instead of a free-choice option).
—Salman Rushdie, New York Times Book Review, 14 Jan. 1990
He began to resent the compulsory attendance at the boring factory meetings.
—James Reston, Jr., Time, 28 Nov. 1988
compulsory retirement at age 70
Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2009
So he wants a private life and no photographs and nobody to know his home address. I can dig it, I can relate to that (but, like he should try it when it's compulsory instead of a free-choice option).
—Salman Rushdie, New York Times Book Review, 14 Jan. 1990
He began to resent the compulsory attendance at the boring factory meetings.
—James Reston, Jr., Time, 28 Nov. 1988
compulsory retirement at age 70
Recent Examples on the Web
Attendance to the march wasn’t compulsory for Kings players.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
Maybe the typical wedding remains an exercise in female subjugation and compulsory heterosexuality, but straight women aren’t the only characters suffering at the altar.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 May 2026
The dominance of the AI theme over stock-market performance, corporate profitability, economic growth and investor attention has grown so extreme that some very large structural questions now seem urgent and compulsory.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Until recently both were compulsory and couldn’t be removed.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsory
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Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
Maybe the typical wedding remains an exercise in female subjugation and compulsory heterosexuality, but straight women aren’t the only characters suffering at the altar.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 May 2026
The dominance of the AI theme over stock-market performance, corporate profitability, economic growth and investor attention has grown so extreme that some very large structural questions now seem urgent and compulsory.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Until recently both were compulsory and couldn’t be removed.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsory
Cite this Entry
“Compulsory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compulsory. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
compulsory
adjective
com·pul·so·ry
kəm-ˈpəls-(ə-)rē 
1
: required by or as if by law
compulsory education
2
: having the power of forcing someone to do something
a compulsory law
Legal Definition
compulsory
adjective
com·pul·so·ry
kəm-ˈpəl-sə-rē
1
: required or compelled by law : mandatory, obligatory
compulsory arbitration
compulsory insurance
specifically
: required to be brought or asserted in a pleading because of having arisen from the transaction or occurrence that is the subject of litigation
a compulsory counterclaim
compulsory reconvention
compare elective, permissive
2
: using compulsion : compelling
compulsory measures
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