as in forced
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as in obliged
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of compelled
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
David K. Li, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Given his Day 3 status, the Panthers won’t feel compelled to rush him into starter duty.
—Mike Kaye
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Anger, fear, and repulsion are so often compelled by objects of desire.
—Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
The film is less compelled to explain how that genius worked.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
What compelled you to write this memoir in essays?
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
How many people complained about this freaking sign to where a company like Nike felt compelled to take it down?
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Vendors are compelled to agree to Amazon's demands because of its dominant position in online retail, Bonta argued.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
In a scathing order, Nunley laid out why he was compelled to take such a rare step.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
True personal data sovereignty requires systems that make compelled access technically impossible, not merely contractually discouraged.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Shiver, who no longer works at Michigan, said she felt compelled to speak out so other young women are not caught in similar circumstances.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Given his Day 3 status, the Panthers won’t feel compelled to rush him into starter duty.
—Mike Kaye
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Anger, fear, and repulsion are so often compelled by objects of desire.
—Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
The film is less compelled to explain how that genius worked.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
What compelled you to write this memoir in essays?
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
How many people complained about this freaking sign to where a company like Nike felt compelled to take it down?
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Vendors are compelled to agree to Amazon's demands because of its dominant position in online retail, Bonta argued.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
In a scathing order, Nunley laid out why he was compelled to take such a rare step.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelled
Adjective
-
In nearly every practical sense, these conditions mirror those faced by people in forced labor.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Some of the conversations, especially with the bench analysts, have been awkward and forced.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jack Warner didn’t much like the title, and requested it be changed to The Night Action; Reeves obliged.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Referee James Williams obliged and gave Booker the penalty.—
Ryan Gaydos OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The third would allow survivors of coerced debt to formally challenge such obligations with a creditor, and the last would create a program to help survivors get home security to protect themselves from future harm.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
And despite widespread reporting about coerced conscription in Russia, Ukraine has engaged in the same practice, with some new recruits sent to the front without adequate training.—
Olivier Kempf,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The answer can have serious implications in a variety of scenarios, including when an employee is owed overtime pay and whether an additional company is obligated to pay it.—
Keith Sonderling,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There was early skepticism about whether a non-journalist like Frost would or could ask tough questions, even though Nixon’s contract obligated him to discuss Watergate.—
Lorna Veraldi,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Traffic stops represent the most common nonvoluntary interaction between citizens and police officers in the U.S.—
Derek Epp,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2023
-
Of the 59 CEOs who departed S&P 500 firms last year, 30.5% were let go on a nonvoluntary basis, up from 22.1% in 2017, according to the Conference Board's 2019 CEO Succession Practices report.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Compelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelled. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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