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
About how making art is both a compulsion and a form of knowledge.
—
Helen Molesworth, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Because the consequences tend to creep in gradually — brain fog, irritability, dependence — users often miss when therapeutic use shifts into compulsion.
—Leah Willingham, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025
Mania of the week Ecdemomania — an abnormal compulsion to wander.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Court records show Sophie was charged with two counts of burglary, criminal trespassing, simple assault and rape forcible compulsion.
—Mike Stunson, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compulsion
Noun
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Auburn committed 26 against Texas' full- and half-court pressure with the Longhorns turning them into 40 points.—
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Polymer packaging requires injection molding, which normally uses high pressure.—
Noun
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China’s true constraints Beijing has not refrained from action against Taiwan out of deference to international law and norms.—
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That work—integrating hardware, software, sensors, safety systems, and real-world constraints—remains enormously difficult, slow, and capital-intensive.—
Noun
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Kelly, clearly, will keep standing up to these feckless attempts at coercion.—
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External coercion absent a credible internal political project does not deliver freedom.—
Noun
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In recent years Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of Taiwan, including by simulating blockades.—
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Those groups have been active in the streets, detaining opponents and reinforcing regime authority through intimidation.—
Noun
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Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
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The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Cite this Entry
“Compulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compulsion. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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