Dictionary

compulsion en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /kəmˈpʌlʃən/
• [kʰəɱˈpʰʌlʃən] ~ [kʰɱ̩ˈpʰʌlʃn̩]
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.
   • It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […]. 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:
   • During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.
2. (countable, uncountable) The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act.
   • But Treaty translator and Ottawa leader Andrew Blackbird described the Treaty as made “not with the free will of the Indians, but by compulsion.” 2016 January 17, “Wealthy cabals run America”, in Al Jazeera America, retrieved 18 Jan 2016:
   • From the opening of the City & South London Railway independent electric locomotives were used under compulsion of the Board of Trade. 1941 May, “Jubilee of the City Tube”, in Railway Magazine, page 223:
3. (countable, uncountable) The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration).

Forms

Deriveds

compulsionary · compulsion neurosis · compulsion loop · noncompulsion · compulsional

Relateds

compulsory · compulsive

Translations (47)

hu kényszerítés (use of power to force a person to act) · hu kényszer (use of power to force a person to act) · la coactus (use of power to force a person to act) · he כְּפִיָּה (use of power to force a person to act) · mr सक्ती (use of power to force a person to act) · bg порив (irrational need to perform some action) · gl prema (use of power to force a person to act) · fi pakkokeinot (lawful use of violence) · es coacción (lawful use of violence) · sv tvång (irrational need to perform some action) · nl dwang (irrational need to perform some action) · ca compulsió (irrational need to perform some action) · is nauðung (use of power to force a person to act) · hu kényszer (irrational need to perform some action) · de Zwang (irrational need to perform some action) · fi pakko (irrational need to perform some action) · pt compulsão (irrational need to perform some action) · ru жела́ние (irrational need to perform some action) · sv tvång (use of power to force a person to act) · he אֹנֶס (use of power to force a person to act) · hu késztetés (irrational need to perform some action) · es coacción (use of power to force a person to act) · de Zwang (use of power to force a person to act) · fi pakkotoiminto (irrational need to perform some action) · ka იძულება (use of power to force a person to act) · ro constrângere (irrational need to perform some action) · ru поры́в (irrational need to perform some action) · es coerción (use of power to force a person to act) · ru принужде́ние (use of power to force a person to act) · ru принужде́ние (lawful use of violence) · es coerción (lawful use of violence) · fi pakottaminen (use of power to force a person to act) · nl drang (irrational need to perform some action) · de Zwangneurose (irrational need to perform some action) · uz majburlik (use of power to force a person to act) · ga éigeantas (irrational need to perform some action) · sv tvångsneuros (irrational need to perform some action) · bg принуда (lawful use of violence) · pt compulsão (use of power to force a person to act) · nl dwang (use of power to force a person to act) · es compulsión (irrational need to perform some action) · mi uruhanga (use of power to force a person to act) · cs nutkání (irrational need to perform some action) · bg принуда (use of power to force a person to act) · hu erőszak (use of power to force a person to act) · ru позы́в (irrational need to perform some action) · ga iallach (use of power to force a person to act)