compulsory

[ kuhm-puhl-suh-ree ]

/ kəmˈpʌl sə ri /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: compulsory / compulsorily on Thesaurus.com

adjective

required; mandatory; obligatory: compulsory education.

using compulsion; compelling; constraining: compulsory measures to control rioting.

noun, plural com·pul·so·ries.

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.

OPPOSITES FOR compulsory

1, 2 voluntary.

See antonyms for compulsory on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of compulsory

1510–20; <Medieval Latin compulsōrius, equivalent to Latin compul-, variant stem of compellere (see compel) + -sōrius, for -tōrius-tory¹; cf. compulsive

OTHER WORDS FROM compulsory

com·pul·so·ri·ly, adverbcom·pul·so·ri·ness, nounnon·com·pul·so·ri·ly, adverbnon·com·pul·so·ri·ly·ness, noun

non·com·pul·so·ry, adjectivequa·si-com·pul·so·ri·ly, adverbqua·si-com·pul·so·ry, adjectiveun·com·pul·so·ry, adjective

Words nearby compulsory

Comptroller General of the United States, Comptroller of the Currency, compulsion, compulsive, compulsive personality, compulsory, compulsory purchase, compunction, compunctious, compurgation, compurgator

How to use compulsory in a sentence

Respect for the principle of non-discrimination is more fundamental than ever since vaccination is not compulsory and access to the vaccine is not yet generalised.
Europe Is Considering COVID-19 Vaccine Passports. Should the Rest of the World Catch Up?|Aryn Baker|March 4, 2021|Time
Not all national supermarket chains have responded to the increasing demand for compulsory hazard pay bonuses with store closures or political pressure.
As Cities Mandate Hazard Pay for Grocery Workers, Groceries Sue|Brendan Seibel|February 26, 2021|Eater
About 20% of the company’s 250 staffers were already remote before the coronavirus pandemic, but even when staffers who were previously in offices can safely return, attendance won’t be compulsory.
Publishers look to allay employee fears over a return to the office by offering additional flexibility|Jessica Davies|February 10, 2021|Digiday
The compulsory spousal exchanges have created some of the tightest alliances ever recorded, currently totaling about 30,000 Amazonian souls.
Why a Universal Society Is Unattainable - Issue 95: Escape|Mark W. Moffett|January 14, 2021|Nautilus

In August, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison suggested on a radio show that he would make a vaccine compulsory for all Australians, though he later walked back the comments.
Will you need a COVID-19 vaccine to fly? One airline says yes|Grady McGregor|December 4, 2020|Fortune
They had three years together before Ziad left to do his compulsory military service, leaving on her birthday, April 4, 2001.
A Sunni-Shia Love Story Imperiled by al Qaeda|Ruth Michaelson|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is compulsory to note in every Kansas story that “the race may decide who controls the Senate.”
A Loss by Pat Roberts in Kansas? Actually, Not So Bizarre|Jeff Greenfield|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The newest pro-gun propaganda: Make firearm education compulsory in schools and create gun-required zones.
NRA Hipster: Give All Kids a Gun|Brandy Zadrozny|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Compulsory dues translate into many tens of millions of dollars in political contributions to Democrats.
Why Progressives Shouldn’t Support Public Workers Unions|Dmitri Mehlhorn|July 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At Nansen Elementary School, music has been removed from the curriculum and Arabic lessons made compulsory.
Inspectors Uncover UK Schools Pushing Radical Islamic Agendas|Nico Hines|June 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On nearly all railways retirement is optional at sixty and compulsory at sixty-five.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
It was probably the first case in Philippine history of a person voluntarily seeking compulsory expulsion from the Islands.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
By direction of the Ministry of Education, compulsory religious instruction is being introduced in the State schools.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
It is more to count on the universal mind than to brave compulsory public decency.
Charles Baudelaire, His Life|Thophile Gautier
The fact of compulsory education created a proletariat able and willing to read.
Charles Baudelaire, His Life|Thophile Gautier

British Dictionary definitions for compulsory

compulsory

/ (kəmˈpʌlsərɪ) /

adjective

required by regulations or laws; obligatorycompulsory education

involving or employing compulsion; compelling; necessary; essential

Derived forms of compulsory

compulsorily, adverbcompulsoriness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

compulsory

OPPOSITES FOR compulsory

Origin of compulsory

OTHER WORDS FROM compulsory

Words nearby compulsory

Words related to compulsory

How to use compulsory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for compulsory

Derived forms of compulsory