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
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
Discipline, toughness, perfect technique, a nutty compulsion to conquer the world’s most inhospitable bodies of water?
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 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
Christgau has 14,000 reviews and counting, and that’s his glory and his compulsion.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Discipline, toughness, perfect technique, a nutty compulsion to conquer the world’s most inhospitable bodies of water?
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 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
Christgau has 14,000 reviews and counting, and that’s his glory and his compulsion.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
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But within Seattle’s defense — a unit built on balance, depth and consistent pressure — his role still mattered.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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In a sign of the pressure for Republicans to take advantage of the opportunity, multiple hopefuls running for governor in GOP primaries called for immediate redraws.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some airlines and independent lounges sell day passes, but availability is often limited due to capacity constraints.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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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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Seniors and distressed homeowners are targeted because the system gives them no buffer against coercion.—
Darlene Mealy,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Some have branded it unsafe and unworkable, citing their concerns around potential coercion of vulnerable people and a lack of safeguards for those with disabilities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Samuel is too comfortable with his father’s assault rifle, pantomiming intimidation into the mirror like a 13-year-old Travis Bickle.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
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Jonathan Harms, 43, and Jolene Harms, 39, faced a long list of criminal charges related to stalking, witness intimidation and threats, court records show.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Wilson wrote and spoke often about how the Black family was ripped apart by chattel slavery and how that foundational act of societal violence cascaded and compounded throughout Black life in 20th century America.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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As crises have accumulated in the decade since, the hoodie’s tight connection to anti-Black violence seems to have loosened.—
Dawn Chan,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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