compelled
Americanadjective
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secured or brought about by force.
Statements made in a compelled interview may not be used in a criminal proceeding.
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forced or driven to a particular course of action, often by an irresistible internal urge.
I haven't felt so compelled to learn as much as I can about something since my fascination with Slavic folk music!
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of compelled
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unlike other carriers in the country, Air Canada—which is the country’s largest by market share—is compelled by law to provide services in English and French.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
Divine did not say why he felt compelled to state his beliefs about permissible punishments.
From Slate • Jul. 1, 2026
The chair of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, said her biggest regret was to feel compelled to act in accordance with prior forward guidance instead of judging the economy independently in real time.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026
In the NBA, they’re compelled to stay under them.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2026
In March 1925, Hoover had reinstated Wren but only after warning him, “Unless you measure up to the standards that are now in effect in this Bureau, I will be compelled to request your resignation.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
