noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
kəm-pŭl'shən
/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 M P AH1 L SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
using force to cause something to occur
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
though pressed into rugby under compulsion I began to enjoy the game
they didn't have to use coercion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: coercion
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: causing, causation
Narrower terms: eviction, constructive eviction
5
noun
Meaning 5
an urge to do or say something that might be better left undone or unsaid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he felt a compulsion to babble on about the accident
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: irresistible impulse
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: irrational impulse
6
noun
Meaning 6
an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
her compulsion to wash her hands repeatedly
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: obsession
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: irrational motive
Narrower terms: onomatomania
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.
Across languages
Translations
47 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
порив
(poriv)
— irrational need to perform some action
Catalan:
compulsió
— irrational need to perform some action
Czech:
nutkání
— irrational need to perform some action
Dutch:
dwang
— irrational need to perform some action
Dutch:
drang
— irrational need to perform some action
Finnish:
pakko
— irrational need to perform some action
Finnish:
pakkotoiminto
— irrational need to perform some action
German:
Zwang
— irrational need to perform some action
German:
Zwangneurose
— irrational need to perform some action
Hungarian:
kényszer
— irrational need to perform some action
Hungarian:
késztetés
— irrational need to perform some action
Irish:
éigeantas
— irrational need to perform some action
Portuguese:
compulsão
— irrational need to perform some action
Romanian:
constrângere
— irrational need to perform some action
Russian:
позы́в
— irrational need to perform some action
Russian:
жела́ние
— irrational need to perform some action
Russian:
поры́в
(porýv)
— irrational need to perform some action
Spanish:
compulsión
— irrational need to perform some action
Swedish:
tvång
— irrational need to perform some action
Swedish:
tvångsneuros
— irrational need to perform some action
Bulgarian:
принуда
(prinuda)
— use of power to force a person to act
Dutch:
dwang
— use of power to force a person to act
Finnish:
pakottaminen
— use of power to force a person to act
Galician:
prema
— use of power to force a person to act
Georgian:
იძულება
(iʒuleba)
— use of power to force a person to act
German:
Zwang
— use of power to force a person to act
Hebrew:
כְּפִיָּה
(k'fiyá)
— use of power to force a person to act
Hebrew:
אֹנֶס
(ónes)
— use of power to force a person to act
Hungarian:
kényszer
— use of power to force a person to act
Hungarian:
kényszerítés
— use of power to force a person to act
Hungarian:
erőszak
— use of power to force a person to act
Icelandic:
nauðung
— use of power to force a person to act
Irish:
iallach
— use of power to force a person to act
Latin:
coactus
— use of power to force a person to act
Māori:
uruhanga
— use of power to force a person to act
Marathi:
सक्ती
(saktī)
— use of power to force a person to act
Portuguese:
compulsão
— use of power to force a person to act
Russian:
принужде́ние
(prinuždénije)
— use of power to force a person to act
Spanish:
coacción
— use of power to force a person to act
Spanish:
coerción
— use of power to force a person to act
Swedish:
tvång
— use of power to force a person to act
Uzbek:
majburlik
— use of power to force a person to act
Bulgarian:
принуда
(prinuda)
— lawful use of violence
Finnish:
pakkokeinot
— lawful use of violence
Russian:
принужде́ние
(prinuždénije)
— lawful use of violence
