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

Separately, the 15-year-old was placed on a compulsory supervision order in January last year.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

King's Oak Academy, in Bristol, has one compulsory item left on its uniform list - a branded PE T-shirt.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

And in the past year 17 European countries increased compulsory levies, “leading to a loss of between one and six days of social and fiscal freedom,” the report says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

A programme of compulsory testing of cattle in Northern Ireland for TB began in the 1950s.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 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

Jan Hoffmann of East Germany won the 1974 men’s world singles championship at Munich, but Cranston, who was too far behind after the compulsories to finish better than third, thrilled the 8,000 spectators.

From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2015

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

From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2014

“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