as in forced
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as in obliged
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
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Recent Examples of compelled
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite not having many suggestions, Swonk still feels compelled to document the numbers that suggest not all is well.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Can the dunkers rediscover the creativity that compelled Blake Griffin to jump over a car, Gerald Green to blow out a cupcake candle on the rim, Dwight Howard to put on a cape and Vince Carter to stick his whole arm in the hoop?
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The post underscored how persistently Black women are compelled to over-explain and accommodate for the purpose of accessibility.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
In a retrial compelled by the defendant’s successful appeal connected to a judge’s flawed jury instruction, a state district court jury in Tarrant County on Friday imposed a prison term 17 years longer than did the jury in his first trial.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The files, made public after congressional action compelled the Department of Justice to release additional materials, include communications and records involving numerous high-profile figures.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2026
Anecdotes like these are the reason Wong felt compelled to start documenting mahjong traditions.
—Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The presence of Department of Homeland Security agents in Minnesota compelled many people there to use songs as a means of protest.
—Ted Olson, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
True personal data sovereignty requires systems that make compelled access technically impossible, not merely contractually discouraged.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
The three largest commercial providers of DNA products – 23andMe, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage – generally prohibit law enforcement access to their genetic data and would release it only if compelled by a warrant or court order.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Despite not having many suggestions, Swonk still feels compelled to document the numbers that suggest not all is well.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Can the dunkers rediscover the creativity that compelled Blake Griffin to jump over a car, Gerald Green to blow out a cupcake candle on the rim, Dwight Howard to put on a cape and Vince Carter to stick his whole arm in the hoop?
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
The post underscored how persistently Black women are compelled to over-explain and accommodate for the purpose of accessibility.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2026
In a retrial compelled by the defendant’s successful appeal connected to a judge’s flawed jury instruction, a state district court jury in Tarrant County on Friday imposed a prison term 17 years longer than did the jury in his first trial.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The files, made public after congressional action compelled the Department of Justice to release additional materials, include communications and records involving numerous high-profile figures.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2026
Anecdotes like these are the reason Wong felt compelled to start documenting mahjong traditions.
—Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The presence of Department of Homeland Security agents in Minnesota compelled many people there to use songs as a means of protest.
—Ted Olson, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelled
Adjective
-
Klein is charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Klein, whom federal prosecutors say was also known within the organization as Prophetess, is specifically charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which has a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Last month, the park service obliged, eliminating an outdoor exhibit at Independence National Historical Park, in Philadelphia, where George Washington’s house once stood.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
-
James obliged, but the Heat still capitalized on the moment by selling T-shirts of him in the original black mask.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Deradicalization is equally vital—not as a coerced reeducation, but as part of a healing process that encompasses Israelis as well as Palestinians.—
Samer Sinijlawi,
The Atlantic,
13 Nov. 2025
-
Prosecutors retried one of the men, John Kogut – who had made a coerced confession to the murder – but he was acquitted.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
However, drivers are not legally obligated to submit to a field sobriety test, pre-arrest test or cheek swab, according to the Law Offices of Grech and Parker in Riverside.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Mental health experts say people should never feel obligated to come out, especially when their safety is at risk.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Traffic stops represent the most common nonvoluntary interaction between citizens and police officers in the U.S.—
Derek Epp,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2023
-
Of the 59 CEOs who departed S&P 500 firms last year, 30.5% were let go on a nonvoluntary basis, up from 22.1% in 2017, according to the Conference Board's 2019 CEO Succession Practices report.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Compelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelled. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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