Synonyms of compulsory

compulsory

adjective

kəm-ˈpəls-rē 

as in mandatory

forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law

compulsory retirement at age 70

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mandatory
• required
• incumbent
• necessary
• obligatory
• urgent
• needed
• imperative
• involuntary
• forced
• requisite
• essential
• nonelective
• peremptory
• indispensable
• enforced
• all-important
• insistent
• demanded
• persistent
• pressing
• coercive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• voluntary
• optional
• elective
• discretionary
• unnecessary
• unwanted
• chosen
• unimportant
• insignificant
• unneeded
• dispensable
• inconsequential
• nonessential

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of compulsory

Voting is compulsory for most adults in the world’s fifth largest country, and turnout is typically among the highest in the Americas. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Voting in Brazil is compulsory for most citizens ages 18 to 70 and optional for 16- and 17-year-olds, people over age 70, and people who cannot read or write. — Katie Angell Britannica Editors Oct. 2, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Oct. 2026

Prepare for the most crowded, compulsory stretch of the calendar. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

The security buildup comes as university students have returned to the streets in Tehran, protesting compulsory hijab rules, rising education costs and political repression, videos published on Iran International show. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026