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com·pel
 compel
- pronunciation:
- k
 m
pel
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
compelled, compelling, compels |
| definition 1: |
to force or drive to some action or attitude; pressure.
The student's violent behavior compelled the principal to call the police.- synonyms:
- coerce, constrain, force, impel, pressure, push, urge
- similar words:
- bend, conscript, drive, hustle, make, pin down, press, press, shove, strong-arm
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| definition 2: |
to make necessary; exact.
The food shortage compelled strict rationing.- synonyms:
- exact, necessitate, require
- similar words:
- cause, demand, insist, make
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| related words: |
activate, actuate, bulldoze, coerce, crowd, exact, impose, mandate, mesmerize, oblige, push, require, rout |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to affect or influence forcefully.
- synonyms:
- boss, press
- similar words:
- drive, hustle, push, shove
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| derivations: |
compellable (adj.), compellably (adv.), compeller (n.) |
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