to compel

Examples

• All

• Seeing the suffering in the community compelled him to volunteer at the local shelter.

• Crozet was still small enough that people felt compelled to take sides during a divorce.

  Fiction book (1991)

• Today, force is needed to compel the other side to do good things inside its borders.

  Academic text (1999)

• I hope what transpired will compel people to buy those two books.

• But I do actually feel compelled to help you with your book.

  Terry Stone Connection

• I just felt compelled to tell the story of what I did.

  Tom Ferry

• And it's the hope to improve the world that compels us to ask why not.

• We are compelled to remind you this man committed a serious crime against the gods.

  The Prince of Egypt (1998)

• We defy you to open the home page and not feel compelled to click on a link.

  Academic text (2011)

• The situation in Iraq compels us to reexamine the moral basis of economic sanctions.

  Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

R

to require

vsto compel

∞ 1.1

Need something because a rule or situation makes it necessary

is more agentive focusing on causing people to act rather than stating necessity

M

to make

vsto compel

∞ 1.0

To force someone to do something

emphasizes causing actions by creating a necessity or obligation

F

to force

vsto compel

∞ 2.3

To make someone do something by using power or pressure

is the general verb for causing action or making something necessary

I

to impose

vsto compel

271 4.8

Force someone to accept something they do not want

focuses on accepting or enduring something rather than directly causing an action

B

to bind

vsto compel

• Formal

216 4.4

To make someone legally required to do something

is broader covering external pressure or necessity beyond contractual or promised duties

M

to mandate

vsto compel

• Formal

169 4.9

To officially require someone to do something

is general pressure or necessity rather than an official institutional order

P

to pressure

vsto compel

149 4.2

To try to make someone do something

is stronger involving direct causing of action or necessity rather than persuasion

C

to coerce

vsto compel

• Offensive

91 6.4

Force someone to do something by threats

uses general pressure or need rather than threats or direct violence

O

to obligate

vsto compel

• Formal

89 6.7

Make someone legally or morally have to do something

is more general involving pressure or necessity beyond legal or moral bonds

O

to oblige

vsto compel

• Formal

72 4.5

To make someone do something because the law or rules say so

often arises from duty or circumstances rather than active external pressure

C

to constrain

vsto compel

64 5.6

To limit what someone can do or how they can act

is more general directly causing action or necessity rather than restricting choices

E

to enjoin

vsto compel

• Formal

13 8.6

To officially order someone to do or not do something, often by a court

is broader meaning causing action through pressure or necessity rather than only legal commands

I

to impel

vsto compel

4 7.2

To make someone feel they must do something, often because of pressure or need

is external or authoritative pressure rather than an internal urge or motivation

B

to bring to heel

vsto compel

• Informal

3 7.6

Make someone or something obey after they resist

is broader applying to causing action or necessity not only obedience after resistance

Antonyms

D

to dissuade

35 6.0

To try to stop someone from doing something by talking to them

How Forceful

to coerce

• Offensive

91 6.4

to compel

258 4.8

to press

285 3.9

to induce

51 4.9

Surface Forms

Etymology