as in obligates
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 compels
This ruling compels companies to confront systemic biases embedded in their hiring data, rather than solely blaming technology.
—
Aparna Rae,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
When systemic failures persist, lawsuits are the catalyst that compels meaningful reform and protects children who cannot protect themselves.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
This landmark measure compels our counties and municipalities to remain politically responsive to the people who live there.
—
Anthony G. Brown,
Baltimore Sun,
26 June 2026
That started to change with the 2023 Right to Read law, which compels districts to use K-3 literacy curricula aligned with the science of reading.
—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
This pattern may persist until a major tragedy or systemic shock finally compels the continent’s principal powers to negotiate a new security order.
—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Richard Dreyfuss stars as an Indiana electric lineman/dad who gets discombobulated after a light from a passing UFO compels him to do weirdo things — like build a mountain replica inside of his home.
—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Finding a way to do that, to have in-person contact with others to help them, literally compels her out of bed in the morning.
—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
The legal agreement also compels TCH to fire multiple physicians who performed these procedures, revoke their privileges, and never hire or credential such doctors.
—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Aparna Rae,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
When systemic failures persist, lawsuits are the catalyst that compels meaningful reform and protects children who cannot protect themselves.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 June 2026
This landmark measure compels our counties and municipalities to remain politically responsive to the people who live there.
—
Anthony G. Brown,
Baltimore Sun,
26 June 2026
That started to change with the 2023 Right to Read law, which compels districts to use K-3 literacy curricula aligned with the science of reading.
—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
This pattern may persist until a major tragedy or systemic shock finally compels the continent’s principal powers to negotiate a new security order.
—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Richard Dreyfuss stars as an Indiana electric lineman/dad who gets discombobulated after a light from a passing UFO compels him to do weirdo things — like build a mountain replica inside of his home.
—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
Finding a way to do that, to have in-person contact with others to help them, literally compels her out of bed in the morning.
—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
The legal agreement also compels TCH to fire multiple physicians who performed these procedures, revoke their privileges, and never hire or credential such doctors.
—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compels
Verb
-
The automotive groups accused Volkswagen of violating a standard dealer agreement, which obligates the company to sell its products through authorized dealerships.
-
Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) that obligates it not to enrich uranium for military purposes.
Verb
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However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.
-
Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.
Verb
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That emergency obliges all of us — critical filmmakers, activists, big and small festivals — to be more courageous.
-
The court replaced it with a read-in version that obliges parliament to refer a panel’s findings to the impeachment committee, which is responsible for conducting a full inquiry into the hearing evidence, determining whether grounds exist to remove a sitting president.
Verb
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This forces the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve between the esophagus and the stomach, to open and close rapidly in succession.
-
Andy’s diagnosis pulled her back overnight—a common reality for glioblastoma families, since the disease often forces patients to stop working.
Verb
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By stripping out parts and, crucially, reducing the number of unique parts, the company shortens manufacturing time, raises reliability, and drives down cost, all at once.
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Fire shelters are mandatory equipment for crews who work across rugged terrain where things can change at a moment’s notice, especially when extremely dry and windy weather drives the flames, as happened last Saturday.
Verb
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And so, our mission – grounded in both truth and love – impels us to discern the motives that shape events, and the shifts in thought that drive human progress through higher ideals of justice, mercy, and wisdom.
Cite this Entry
“Compels.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compels. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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