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
The system continued, musing earnestly: Is this response born of love and wisdom, or is it born of compulsion?
—
D. Graham Burnett, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
This film left us thinking about big topics like truth, persuasion, and compulsion, positioning us alongside the filmmaker and leading us to want to talk and think about this film for hours.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 May 2025
In response, Sarah’s emotional state swings between consternation and compulsion as her solitary writer’s retreat morphs into a poolside war of wills between stuffy dame and slightly unhinged French gamine.
—Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, Footwear News, 26 May 2025
Books The Faithless Generation Paul Baumann Traditional religion thrives in stable communities, not a world where innovators aim to ‘break things.’
Books
Lies, Damned Lies, and Ideology
John O’Sullivan
The ideological lie persists, demanding compulsion to enforce its vision.
—Mary Katharine Ham, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
D. Graham Burnett, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
This film left us thinking about big topics like truth, persuasion, and compulsion, positioning us alongside the filmmaker and leading us to want to talk and think about this film for hours.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 26 May 2025
In response, Sarah’s emotional state swings between consternation and compulsion as her solitary writer’s retreat morphs into a poolside war of wills between stuffy dame and slightly unhinged French gamine.
—Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, Footwear News, 26 May 2025
Books The Faithless Generation Paul Baumann Traditional religion thrives in stable communities, not a world where innovators aim to ‘break things.’
Books
Lies, Damned Lies, and Ideology
John O’Sullivan
The ideological lie persists, demanding compulsion to enforce its vision.
—Mary Katharine Ham, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
-
Keeping an eye on the Gulf The National Hurricane Center has identified an area of low atmospheric pressure that’s expected to move west across Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
14 July 2025
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As coffee lovers become more knowledgeable and discerning about the sourcing, roasting, brewing, sustainability and taste of coffee, this creates pressure on the hospitality industry to meet their expectations.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Davis is a magnetic front man, and the Roadhouse Band is an intoxicatingly raucous live outfit, but the constraints of the setup suited his new material, which is suffused with listlessness and yearning, dark jokes and wordy disquisitions on desire.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
The graphic novel format gave him the freedom to imagine without limitation—unbound by the logistical constraints of filmmaking.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Moldova has been shaken by Russian meddling in the form of energy coercion, election interference and disinformation campaigns.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
4 July 2025
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The trial delved into complexities of relationships and questions of consent and coercion.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
4 July 2025
Noun
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Researchers and experts cite many reasons for this, including the rise of gun violence, food insecurity, and health care accessibility.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
14 July 2025
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Meanwhile, in the world’s most dire humanitarian crisis, where access for emergency food and medical workers has been made increasingly difficult by warring parties, people are fleeing violence on foot, children are malnourished, and Sudanese are dying from treatable conditions.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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