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
The latest evidence of his compulsion is Twilight Override, a 30-song triple-album released last fall under his own name.
—
Steve Appleford, SPIN, 6 Apr. 2026
But the man had a normal level of intelligence and lacked any compulsion to injure himself.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Written by Mescudi, Doe explores themes of addiction and survival through the lens of a man living on the streets of Hollywood who, over the course of 24 hours, drifts through a series of encounters that pull him in and out of the cycles of his compulsion.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
When someone feels the compulsion to constantly bring it up for another 30 years is a sign that something could be wrong with their capacity to reason maturely.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Steve Appleford, SPIN, 6 Apr. 2026
But the man had a normal level of intelligence and lacked any compulsion to injure himself.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Written by Mescudi, Doe explores themes of addiction and survival through the lens of a man living on the streets of Hollywood who, over the course of 24 hours, drifts through a series of encounters that pull him in and out of the cycles of his compulsion.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
When someone feels the compulsion to constantly bring it up for another 30 years is a sign that something could be wrong with their capacity to reason maturely.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
-
Indian market opportunity, however, comes with the pressure to pivot strategy based on consumer preferences.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
Later, the Moon squares Mars in Aries, which can create pressure to move faster than necessary.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Some airlines and independent lounges sell day passes, but availability is often limited due to capacity constraints.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Law said the bill is lacking an education and outreach provision due largely to budget constraints.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In California, the Bane Act allows lawsuits against those who use threats, coercion or intimidation to violate a person’s constitutional rights.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
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This language also obscures the ultimatums presented to Iran under threat of American force, making coercion sound like collaboration.—
Atom Ariola,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Historian Marvin Dunn echoed that concern, describing a disconnect among younger Black people who did not live through — and in many cases were never deeply taught about — the violence, intimidation and systemic barriers that shaped earlier generations’ fight for the ballot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
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In places like Canton, federal officials set up registration tables on downtown streets so Black residents could sign up to vote without facing harassment or intimidation from local authorities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
Noun
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That's because Winnie is accused of encouraging some of the worst Black-on-Black violence in the townships during apartheid in the 1980's.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
2 May 2026
-
Historian Marvin Dunn echoed that concern, describing a disconnect among younger Black people who did not live through — and in many cases were never deeply taught about — the violence, intimidation and systemic barriers that shaped earlier generations’ fight for the ballot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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