compulsion

C1 Topic:Psychology & Behavior

US /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #19252

Meanings

1

noun
A strong, often irresistible urge to do something.

He felt a sudden compulsion to check that the door was locked.
2

noun
The use of force or pressure to make someone do something.

She signed the contract under compulsion, not by choice.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a strong, often... obsession

2 noun · the use of force or... coercion

Word family

Forms compulsions

Derived forms compulsionalcompulsionarynoncompulsion

Related forms compulsive compulsory

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.

compulsion Middle French compulsiō la-lat compellere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Psychology & Behavior Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# compulsion

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 19252

## Meanings
1. A strong, often irresistible urge to do something.
2. The use of force or pressure to make someone do something.

## Examples
- He felt a sudden compulsion to check that the door was locked.
- She signed the contract under compulsion, not by choice.

## Derived Forms
- compulsional
- compulsionary
- noncompulsion

## Related Forms
- compulsive
- compulsory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: compulsion
- Root: compulsiō
- Root: compellere

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.

## AI Etymology
Compulsion is borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel. Important historical forms include Middle French compulsion, Late Latin compulsiō, and Latin compellere. In present-day use, it can mean a strong, often irresistible urge to do something, or the use of force or pressure to make someone do something. Derived formations include compulsional, compulsionary, noncompulsion.

## Topics
- Psychology & Behavior
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown