compulsory

American  

[kuhm-puhl-suh-ree] / kəmˈpʌl sə ri /

adjective

1. required; mandatory; obligatory.

   compulsory education.

   Antonyms:

   voluntary

2. using compulsion; compelling; constraining.

   compulsory measures to control rioting.

   Antonyms:

   voluntary

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noun

• compulsories
  plural

1. something, as an athletic feat, that must be performed or completed as part of a contest or competition.

   The ice skater received a higher score on the compulsories than on her freestyle performance.

compulsory British  

/ kəmˈpʌlsərɪ /

adjective

1. required by regulations or laws; obligatory

   compulsory education

2. involving or employing compulsion; compelling; necessary; essential

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• compulsoriness
  noun
• noncompulsorilyness
  noun
• noncompulsory
  adjective
• quasi-compulsory
  adjective
• uncompulsory
  adjective
• compulsorily
  adverb
• noncompulsorily
  adverb
• quasi-compulsorily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• compulsories
  plural

Etymology

Origin of compulsory

1510–20; < Medieval Latin compulsōrius, equivalent to Latin compul-, variant stem of compellere ( see compel) + -sōrius, for -tōrius -tory ¹; cf. compulsive

Explanation

When something is compulsory, it is required or must be done. In most states, it's compulsory for kids to attend school (or an equivalent homeschool) from age six to seventeen. This adjective is from Medieval Latin compulsorius, "using force," from Classical Latin compellere, "to force." The Latin suffix –orius corresponds to English -ory, "containing or involving." Other English words descended from the same Latin verb are compel and compulsive.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

compulsory compulsories

Management at the university plan to cut about 50 posts and say they have not ruled out compulsory redundancies.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Since the announcement, UCU bosses said there had been 149 applications for voluntary redundancies, which should now rule out the need for compulsory redundancies.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Lecturers at the University of Dundee are beginning an unprecedented five-week strike over the threat of compulsory redundancies.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

The conscripts then do up to 15 months compulsory training before going back into civilian life, in employment or higher education.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Three years later, after war broke out, the labor service was increased to one year and became compulsory for both boys and girls.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

What made these compulsories different was the manner in which the two-time defending world champions went through it.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 27, 2021

The synchronized divers must still perform them, however — compulsories are the first two dives the pairs do.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 19, 2016

But if the ISU wants to be that literal-minded, it might as well bring back compulsories.

From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2014

Scott usually dominated the compulsories, the tracing of figure-eight variations, which accounted for 60 percent of the scoring in her era, but she deftly executed spins and leaps as well.

From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2012

“I like everything to be neat and tidy and symmetrical,” Scott said in reflecting on the exactness of her compulsories.

From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2012

Related Words

• de rigueur
• forced
• imperative
• mandatory
• obligatory
• required