compel

/kəmˈpɛl/

/kəmˈpɛl/

Other forms: compelled; compelling; compels

Compel means to force or drive someone to do something. Even if you don't like toast, when you visit the toast-eating natives of Shrintakook Island, you'll be compelled to eat it, or they will not trust you.

You don't want to be compelled to go to a classical music concert if you'd rather listen to rap. School officials might be upset if a winter storm compels them to cancel classes, but you'd be okay with that. A compelling mystery forces you to pay attention because you want to find out "whodunit."

Definitions of compel

1. verb

   force somebody to do something
   “We compel all students to fill out this form”

   synonyms: obligate, oblige

   types:

   force, thrust

   impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably

   walk

   make walk

   coerce, force, hale, pressure, squeeze

   cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means

   clamor, clamour

   compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring

   condemn

   compel or force into a particular state or activity

   shame

   compel through a sense of shame

   apply, enforce, implement

   ensure observance of laws and rules

   enforce, impose

   compel to behave in a certain way

   stick, sting

   saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous

   exhibit, march, parade

   walk ostentatiously

   march

   cause to march or go at a marching pace

   turn up the heat, turn up the pressure

   apply great or increased pressure

   drive

   compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly

   bludgeon

   overcome or coerce as if by using a heavy club

   steamroll, steamroller

   bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure

   squeeze for

   squeeze someone for money, information, etc.

   dragoon, railroad, sandbag

   compel by coercion, threats, or crude means

   terrorise, terrorize

   coerce by violence or with threats

   bring oneself

   cause to undertake a certain action, usually used in the negative

   execute, run

   carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine

   execute

   carry out the legalities of

   type of:

   cause, get, have, induce, make, stimulate

   cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner
2. verb

   necessitate or exact
   “the water shortage compels conservation”

   type of:

   ask, call for, demand, involve, necessitate, need, postulate, require, take

   require as useful, just, or proper