as in forced
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as in obliged
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
public opinion compelled her to fire her scandal-plagued aide
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Recent Examples of compelled
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Never has Congress compelled the testimony of a former president under threat of contempt charges.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
But this document, which compelled me to interrogate my past more fully, unlocked the doors for a discussion on gender violence in my family history, most urgently the history of my sister’s femicide.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
As if to punctuate the point, Arizona stormed to a quick 6-0 lead that compelled disgusted coach Bill Self to call a timeout only 1 minute, 35 seconds into the game.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2026
The presence of Department of Homeland Security agents in Minnesota compelled many people there to use songs as a means of protest.
—Ted Olson, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Former President Bill Clinton has been compelled by Republicans to testify before Congress about his friendship with Epstein.
—Jill Lawless, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Shein has pulled its net-zero pledge in Germany after a local watchdog group compelled the e-tail juggernaut to substantiate its claim or drop it.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Gallagher was a player Emery had long admired and Villa felt compelled to act.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
True personal data sovereignty requires systems that make compelled access technically impossible, not merely contractually discouraged.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
Anecdotes like these are the reason Wong felt compelled to start documenting mahjong traditions.
—Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
Never has Congress compelled the testimony of a former president under threat of contempt charges.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
But this document, which compelled me to interrogate my past more fully, unlocked the doors for a discussion on gender violence in my family history, most urgently the history of my sister’s femicide.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
As if to punctuate the point, Arizona stormed to a quick 6-0 lead that compelled disgusted coach Bill Self to call a timeout only 1 minute, 35 seconds into the game.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2026
The presence of Department of Homeland Security agents in Minnesota compelled many people there to use songs as a means of protest.
—Ted Olson, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
Former President Bill Clinton has been compelled by Republicans to testify before Congress about his friendship with Epstein.
—Jill Lawless, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Shein has pulled its net-zero pledge in Germany after a local watchdog group compelled the e-tail juggernaut to substantiate its claim or drop it.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Gallagher was a player Emery had long admired and Villa felt compelled to act.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compelled
Adjective
-
The result is fewer forced sales and less distressed supply.—
Bryce Erickson,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
What comes through most vividly is the sense of forced placidity, the assembly-line-like control over life and activity this country club comes to represent.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
James obliged, but the Heat still capitalized on the moment by selling T-shirts of him in the original black mask.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ice princesses are obliged to be polite and palatable at all times, often at the expense of their humanity.—
Jasmine Wynn,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Deradicalization is equally vital—not as a coerced reeducation, but as part of a healing process that encompasses Israelis as well as Palestinians.—
Samer Sinijlawi,
The Atlantic,
13 Nov. 2025
-
Prosecutors retried one of the men, John Kogut – who had made a coerced confession to the murder – but he was acquitted.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Unprompted, Campbell offered an apology to reporters for declining to speak after the Super Bowl, something players are obligated to do by league policy.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Note, unlike with excursions booked through cruise lines, ships aren't obligated to wait for you if third-party operators run late.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Traffic stops represent the most common nonvoluntary interaction between citizens and police officers in the U.S.—
Derek Epp,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2023
-
Of the 59 CEOs who departed S&P 500 firms last year, 30.5% were let go on a nonvoluntary basis, up from 22.1% in 2017, according to the Conference Board's 2019 CEO Succession Practices report.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Compelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compelled. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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