as in forced
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in obliged
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 compelled
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
Cats, however, remain autonomous, understanding the situation without feeling compelled to intervene unless there’s a direct benefit for themselves.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
Like others, Nikki Halsey learned of the event via Instagram and felt compelled to give it a try.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Despite the title, each guest is compelled to bring Winegar some token to be opened and discussed.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Both are compelled by a strange force beyond their control.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
He is occasionally asked to comment on acts of public violence, compelled to defend the many vigilantes who have appeared in his wake.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
The ensuing outrage compelled the outlet to remove the images.
—Angelica Kalika, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
But Robinson was nevertheless compelled to make his feelings known.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 2 June 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
If those studies are widely accepted as valid scientific work, then judges will be compelled to admit them as evidence in any lawsuits against said companies.
—ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
Cats, however, remain autonomous, understanding the situation without feeling compelled to intervene unless there’s a direct benefit for themselves.
—Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
Like others, Nikki Halsey learned of the event via Instagram and felt compelled to give it a try.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Despite the title, each guest is compelled to bring Winegar some token to be opened and discussed.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Both are compelled by a strange force beyond their control.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
He is occasionally asked to comment on acts of public violence, compelled to defend the many vigilantes who have appeared in his wake.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
The ensuing outrage compelled the outlet to remove the images.
—Angelica Kalika, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
But Robinson was nevertheless compelled to make his feelings known.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelled
Adjective
-
The French Cour d’appel de Versailles determined that a child could claim against assets located in France even though the decedent had validly designated the succession laws of a foreign country that did not recognize forced heirship.—
Virginia La Torre Jeker,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Stephen Colbert, Letterman’s successor as host of CBS’s The Late Show for the past 11 years, is leaving his job under more forced, awkward circumstances.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
And not only is the government legally obligated to allow for comments on the rule, they are also obliged to respond.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
-
His status as the game’s best secure, Messi lifted the trophy in a bisht that had been placed upon him — obliged to share his greatest triumph with the geopolitical forces that had brought the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Such coerced displacement did not — and could not — extinguish rights guaranteed by a still-valid agreement.—
Shaun Chapoose,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
-
Russia has targeted the children through coerced adoption and family separation, forcing them to speak the Russian language and take on its cultural identity and customs — what’s known as Russification.—
Shahrzad Rasekh,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
And not only is the government legally obligated to allow for comments on the rule, they are also obliged to respond.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
-
The motion to dismiss, filed in March, argued that Redd wasn’t contractually obligated to perform.—
Melissa Goldin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 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 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
