COMPULSORY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

compulsory

adjective

kəm-ˈpəls-rē

Definition of compulsory

as in mandatory

forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law compulsory retirement at age 70

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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 compulsory Zverev had given his window for that day and so was put out by being told that the test, outside of that window, was compulsory. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 24 June 2026 Since Israel’s founding, members of the community who devoted themselves to Torah studies have been exempt from the nation’s compulsory military service. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 23 June 2026 Simply sitting with the idea that death is compulsory and irreversible is too hard. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 Brazil, facing mounting economic pressure from the United States, is fast-tracking a decade-old legislative proposal to block imports of goods made with forced, compulsory or child labor. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for compulsory

Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsory

Adjective

An evacuation warning means a potential threat to life and/or property, and those who require time to evacuate were urged to leave ahead of any mandatory evacuation order.

— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Regulation varies by state and there is currently no mandatory federal accreditation or licensing requirement for either body donation organizations or non-transplant tissue banks, which are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

Definition of mandatory

Adjective

The ruling aligned with the views of the Constitutional Court, which, in removing Yoon from office in April 2025, found that his martial law decree lacked legal grounds and failed to follow required procedures.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Investigators reviewed Walmart surveillance footage, which police said captured the collision and showed the driver of the Ford F-250 inspecting the damage before leaving without providing the required information.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026

Definition of required

Adjective

Bringing work back to Hollywood has become a major platform for both incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and opponent Nithya Raman, with both calling for California’s $750 million film and TV tax incentives program to be uncapped.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 July 2026
In addition, an incumbent Connecticut governor has not been voted out of office in the general election since 1954 when Republican John Davis Lodge lost to a young Democrat named Abe Ribicoff.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026

Definition of incumbent

Adjective

Permits and city cooperation are necessary when large-scale private events require the use of public space (like street closures) or city services (more cops).

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 10 July 2026
Cooper encourages legislators to examine drivers of rising healthcare costs that made things like the ACA subsidies necessary in the first place.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of necessary

Browse Nearby Words

compulsive

compulsory

compunction

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“Compulsory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsory. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of compulsory

adjective

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