Synonym Chooser

How is the word compel different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of compel are coerce, constrain, force, and oblige. While all these words mean "to make someone or something yield," compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

When might coerce be a better fit than compel?

Although the words coerce and compel have much in common, coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

When is it sensible to use constrain instead of compel?

While the synonyms constrain and compel are close in meaning, constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

When could force be used to replace compel?

In some situations, the words force and compel are roughly equivalent. However, force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

When is oblige a more appropriate choice than compel?

The words oblige and compel can be used in similar contexts, but oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

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 compel The Trump administration is seeking to overturn carbon pollution rules finalized by the Biden administration last year that would have compelled coal and new natural gas power plants to either cut or capture 90% of their climate pollution by 2032. Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 11 June 2025 And, once the state cut its contribution, so too did Google, highlighting that the search giant won’t make meaningful commitments unless it’s compelled to. Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial, Mercury News, 10 June 2025 For HBCUs, the moment is reminiscent of the era decades ago when Black colleges were compelled to argue that school segregation was wrong but also needed to maintain government support for their institutions, said Marybeth Gasman, a Rutgers University professor who has studied the history of HBCUs. Cheyanne Mumphrey, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025 In a conversation with Harvard Business School, Sam Altman observes that the rise of AI will compel us to rethink jobs and society. Arafat Kabir, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for compel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compel
Verb
  • In some cases, governments even coerce companies into accepting artificially low prices by threatening to violate their patents and allow other manufacturers to produce copycat drugs.
    Rosa Mendoza, Boston Herald, 16 June 2025
  • Geragos has tried to portray Jane as a willing participant in encounters with male escorts and entertainers while Diddy watched, to undermine prosecution claims that she was coerced and trafficked.
    Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • The shutdowns have caused significant disruptions to regional air traffic and forced airlines to reroute flights.
    Amanda Castro Hannah Parry Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • Damaging Iran’s nuclear facilities, decapitating its leadership structure, and repeatedly disrupting its enrichment efforts forces Tehran into a permanent state of caution.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • But as a student of history, a patriotic American who flies the flag at my house every day, who keeps a large portrait of George Washington in my living room, I am obligated to do something rather than passively sit by while the unacceptable becomes normalized.
    Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
  • No artist is obligated to comment on anything, period.
    Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • The Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to oblige the governor’s request.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025
  • Surveillance, not least of millions of Palestinians under occupation (and obliged to use Israeli phone systems), generated startups like the spyware firm NSO Group, which soon found clients in the Arab regimes.
    Karl Vick, Time, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • While there are many levers driving that crisis, one critical factor is a shortage of skilled trade workers.
    Jennifer Castenson, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
  • The narrative twist: the story is driven not by the characters themselves but by eight distinct emotions in their minds — comedic, romantic, bizarre, and rational.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Compel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compel. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on compel

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