compulsion
[noun]
Synonyms:
- urge, drive, necessity, need, obsession, preoccupation
- force, coercion, constraint, demand, duress, obligation, pressure, urgency

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Contrasted words: coaxing, inducing, persuasion, choice, election, option, preference
Related Words: driving, impelling, pressing, exigency, necessity, need, pressure, stress

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

com‧pul‧sion /kəmˈpʌlʃən/ noun
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Late Latin compulsio, from Latin compellere; ⇒ compel]

1. [countable] a strong and unreasonable desire to do something ⇒ compel:
The desire to laugh became a compulsion.
compulsion to do something
Leith felt an overwhelming compulsion to tell him the truth.
the compulsion to smoke or eat too much

2. [singular, uncountable] the act of forcing or influencing someone to do something they do not want to do ⇒ compel
under (no) compulsion to do something
Owners are under no compulsion to sell their land.
The use of compulsion in psychiatric care cannot be justified.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

compulsion
noun
ADJ. strange | inner
QUANT. element There is an element of compulsion in the new scheme for the unemployed.
VERB + COMPULSION feel, have He felt an inner compulsion to write.
PREP. under ~ You're under no compulsion to take part.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲