compulsion

American  

[kuhm-puhl-shuhn] / kəmˈpʌl ʃən /

noun

1. the act of compelling; compel; constraint; coercion.

2. the state or condition of being compelled.

3. Psychology. a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, especially one that is irrational or contrary to one's will.

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compulsion British  

/ kəmˈpʌlʃən /

noun

1. the act of compelling or the state of being compelled

2. something that compels

3. psychiatry an inner drive that causes a person to perform actions, often of a trivial and repetitive nature, against his or her will See also obsession

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compulsion Cultural  

1. In psychology, an internal force that leads persons to act against their will. A “compulsive” act cannot be controlled: “Smith was a compulsive gambler.”

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Other Word Forms

• noncompulsion noun
• precompulsion noun

Etymology

Origin of compulsion

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Late Latin compulsiōn- (stem of compulsiō ), equivalent to Latin compuls ( us ), past participle of compellere to compel ( com- com- + pul- variant stem + -sus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Let's say you have a secret. You've promised not to tell, but there's something forcing you to call a friend and spill the beans. This force is compulsion, that urge to do something even though you know you shouldn't. If you go back to the Latin, you find compulsus, the past participle of the verb compellere, "to compel." You can see the connection with our word compulsion, which means "something compelling." The word gained a more psychological meaning in 1909 in a translation of Freud’s studies, suggesting a type of neurosis that impels a person to do things in an obsessive manner.

Example Sentences

"Great powers can compel, but compulsion comes with costs, both reputational and financial," the former central banker added.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Nevertheless, our compulsion to glean some broader significance from Carol’s story cannot help but wander into that territory.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025

Each act of outrage delivers short-term relief that reinforces the cycle, maintaining the compulsion rather than resolving it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

“It’s a compulsion, the need to dig deeper, to understand and to get it right.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

Only my Bledsoe-trustee inspired compulsion to read all papers that touched my hands prevented me from throwing the envelope aside.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• coercion
• obsession
• preoccupation
• urgency