as in to coerce
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of compel
In a world increasingly defined by individualism and speed, sport remains one of the rare forces that compels people to pause, gather, and share in moments that transcend borders and generations.
—
Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Conservatives say a work requirement for healthy enrollees would compel people to seek employment and potentially secure health insurance through the workplace, saving taxpayers money.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Younger by a decade than the candidates considered frontrunners, Jerusalem’s first-ever cardinal has nevertheless emerged as an intriguing possibility, thrust into the spotlight by the same war in Gaza that has compelled him to confront difficult questions about faith and humanity.
—Noga Tarnopolsky, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
Image President Trump’s back-and-forth on tariffs, the blunting of American diplomacy and the dismantling of the agency for American aid — and with it hundreds of programs in Asia — feels like yet another withdrawal, and one that was not even compelled by military force.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for compel
Sindiswa Mabunda, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Conservatives say a work requirement for healthy enrollees would compel people to seek employment and potentially secure health insurance through the workplace, saving taxpayers money.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Younger by a decade than the candidates considered frontrunners, Jerusalem’s first-ever cardinal has nevertheless emerged as an intriguing possibility, thrust into the spotlight by the same war in Gaza that has compelled him to confront difficult questions about faith and humanity.
—Noga Tarnopolsky, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
Image President Trump’s back-and-forth on tariffs, the blunting of American diplomacy and the dismantling of the agency for American aid — and with it hundreds of programs in Asia — feels like yet another withdrawal, and one that was not even compelled by military force.
—Hannah Beech, New York Times, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for compel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compel
Verb
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Carter argued his confession was coerced, and the witnesses, two immigrants without legal status, later said police and prosecutors had pressured them to falsely implicate Carter.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
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The ensuing conflict between them takes an abrupt turn into a hotel-room two-hander as Anima fastens Abel to a bed and coerces him into confronting his feelings by playing his own music to him and dispensing shallow insights about how his songs’ upbeat melodies belie their cry-for-help content.—
Charles Bramesco,
IndieWire,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Some have succeeded in slashing sales and forcing policy changes.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Fans are forced to watch that terrifying accident all over again — knowing exactly what's about to happen.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Tesla ends up below $200: You’ll be obligated to buy 100 shares at $200.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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Under Reed’s contract, the district appears obligated to pay her about $32,000 or $800 a day from her February hiring date to June 30, the contract termination date.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
Verb
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So Kelley, co-showrunner John-Henry Butterworth, and Kidman, who plays the enigmatic Russian wellness guru kindly obliged, serving up nine brand new strangers and plenty more drama in a wintry, idyllic retreat.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
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The Gulf states obliged, trying to curry favor with the president through investments, arms deals and buying Boeing planes while giving a very lavish one away.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
16 May 2025
Verb
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About 150 students and 50 adults were evacuated from an elementary school in Maryland after hours of heavy rains driven by an atmospheric river caused major flooding in multiple eastern states.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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Now, Medicaid is something that also drives and fuels rural health care.—
Obed Manuel,
NPR,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compel. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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