as in constraints
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 compulsions
Letters admitting compulsions and guilt Judge Lopez must also weigh whether letters Cox wrote to a judge in 1993 and 1995 will be admissible.
—
Amy Delaura, The Washington Examiner, 28 Feb. 2026
Downgrading to a simpler phone, such as an old-school flip phone, could also help curb social media compulsions.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Within a week, the compulsions disappeared.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
James, not unlike his alcoholic father, is at the mercy of his compulsions.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
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
Political compulsions could lead to measures that expand the country's fiscal deficit, further raising borrowing costs.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Amy Delaura, The Washington Examiner, 28 Feb. 2026
Downgrading to a simpler phone, such as an old-school flip phone, could also help curb social media compulsions.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Within a week, the compulsions disappeared.
—J. Aaron Sanders, STAT, 4 Feb. 2026
James, not unlike his alcoholic father, is at the mercy of his compulsions.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
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
Political compulsions could lead to measures that expand the country's fiscal deficit, further raising borrowing costs.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsions
Noun
-
And this year, Williams became eligible for the Medal of Honor with the approval of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which eliminates any time constraints Williams might face in a review of his combat actions.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Only a handful of launch opportunities are available each month due to trajectory constraints based on the ever changing positions of the Earth and moon, lighting conditions and other mission-specific variables.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If Çatak uses the accumulation of mundane details to portray the pressures on ordinary people, Alper uses the heightened language of myth and allegory to tell a story that nevertheless feels immediately recognizable as belonging to the present.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Additionally, the White House is urging lawmakers to ban institutional buyers from purchasing single-family homes to ease competitive pressures on individual buyers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compulsions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsions. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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