as in obligates
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 compels
The power of Ed and Lorraine Warren compels you — to buy a movie ticket!
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
The power of Christ still compels moviegoers.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
But their stillness compels you to pay attention.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
An account of state violence victims’ interior worlds encourages the public to invest in their layered and vibrant lives and compels us to analyze their tragic deaths in more meaningful ways.
—Lashawn Harris
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.
—Quispe López, Them., 27 Aug. 2025
Witkoff said the administration was considering a security arrangement similar to Article 5 of NATO, which compels all members to respond if any member is attacked.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
For many of us, our imperfect vision compels us to wear corrective lenses to see properly.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
Change compels nonprofits to think on their feet, adapt and, in the best-case scenario, grow and thrive.
—Leslye Moore, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
The power of Christ still compels moviegoers.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
But their stillness compels you to pay attention.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
An account of state violence victims’ interior worlds encourages the public to invest in their layered and vibrant lives and compels us to analyze their tragic deaths in more meaningful ways.
—Lashawn Harris
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.
—Quispe López, Them., 27 Aug. 2025
Witkoff said the administration was considering a security arrangement similar to Article 5 of NATO, which compels all members to respond if any member is attacked.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
For many of us, our imperfect vision compels us to wear corrective lenses to see properly.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025
Change compels nonprofits to think on their feet, adapt and, in the best-case scenario, grow and thrive.
—Leslye Moore, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compels
Verb
-
The site of the meeting is complicated as Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court that obligates the 125 countries that are party to the court to arrest the Russian leader and transfer him to The Hague for trial.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
20 Aug. 2025
-
The Finding, issued in 2009, legally obligates the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.—
Quispe López,
Them.,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The pic centers on Ali (Ekin Koç), a university professor who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Ian obliges and books the band.—
Rob Reiner,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Sam then picks up Emerald and asks for a cuddle, and the pup happily obliges, nuzzling into Sam's neck and relaxing into the hug.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Marswalker opens its fold-out front doors, and the S2 drives up into a central compartment before the doors close again to secure the S2 in place.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Attendees acknowledged early how much of what drives housing costs lies outside city and state control, such as interest rates or labor and material supply.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compels. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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