as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
in that class I read books under compulsion that I ordinarily wouldn't have considered
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Recent Examples of compulsion
These compulsions come from the same place as the impulse to punish Renee Nicole Good for protesting, for not bending to patriarchal authority.
—
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions can vary from person to person.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The compulsion to build emotional connections with her customers is what drives Reid as an entrepreneur.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
These obsessions and compulsions can vary from person to person.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The compulsion to build emotional connections with her customers is what drives Reid as an entrepreneur.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
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The employee, a mother of two teen girls, warned about the filters and said the pressure on teen girls is intense.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Coach Rick Hirtensteiner said Young dealt with the pressure by just trying to have fun, and Sheffer, playing with his younger brother, Ryan, a starting shortstop, appeared to do just that Wednesday.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The reality today is human plus machine, operating under budget constraints in flawed institutions, fed by imperfect data.—
Eric Sullivan,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
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At the time, Chapter 11 documents filed on behalf of McGrath stated that despite the strength of the brand, Pat McGrath Labs faced growing financial headwinds in early 2025 including liquidity constraints.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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No other group of voters must endure such regular coercion.—
Torsha Childs,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
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The other prohibits using threats, coercion or fraud in certain voting processes.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fears of intimidation and impersonation Álvarez said the concerns stem from individuals allegedly posing as immigration agents in Dallas neighborhoods.—
Steve Pickett,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
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These measures are vital to maintain public trust, prevent voter intimidation, and ensure that our elections can be administered securely, fairly, and transparently.—
State Rep. Matt Blumenthal,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But some experts on gun violence are still wary of endorsing the program.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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The film delves into young sisters’ lives shaped by ancestral violence and the lasting impact of abuse.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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