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
Or were you compelled to play him from the beginning?
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
This group felt compelled to encourage the ethical engagement of its members in the midst of labor organizing because their work is often lifesaving and can be dangerous to disrupt due to strikes or other labor actions.
—Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a move on Wednesday to force a Senate vote on an amendment that would compel the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files ahead of a vote on the massive must pass defense spending bill.
—John Parkinson, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
Legacies that are handed down to you that compel you or or confine you.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compel
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
This group felt compelled to encourage the ethical engagement of its members in the midst of labor organizing because their work is often lifesaving and can be dangerous to disrupt due to strikes or other labor actions.
—Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made a move on Wednesday to force a Senate vote on an amendment that would compel the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files ahead of a vote on the massive must pass defense spending bill.
—John Parkinson, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
Legacies that are handed down to you that compel you or or confine you.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for compel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compel
Verb
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Investigators allege that Hernandez coerced at least five minors into participating in the production of child pornography on at least seven occasions, consistent with the seven charges.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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Never use someone’s dream to coerce them into a relationship.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Kuomintang, or KMT, also known as the Nationalist Party of China, is the party formerly led by Chiang Kai-shek that ruled the entirety of the Republic of China before Mao Zedong’s communist military forced it to flee to Taiwan.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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The show also featured a number of first-time nominees and first-time winners like Tramell Tillman, Jeff Hiller, Hannah Einbinder, and Owen Cooper, all of whom were been forced to amend their moment in the spotlight to adhere to the joke.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some insurance providers are likewise not obligated to or choose not to cover vaccines not included in the CDC immunization schedule.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
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But, by selling an upside call option, the investor will be obligated to sell the shares at the strike price if holders of those calls exercise them.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The pilot obliges — and then the co-pilot flips off the autopilot function.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
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That means the sheriff and chief probation officer are not obliged to implement its recommendations.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, a strange new trend has started, seeing users stitch together clips of Jeremiah from various episodes into horror film-like videos, driving home the message that this is not just another cute, curly-haired college student but a malevolent Disney villain.—
Olivia Petter,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
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Discover the fascinating economics driving billion-dollar industries.—
thehustle.co,
thehustle.co,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Compel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compel. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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