Compel

Video footage: Leaders in Japan speak at rallies that compel the citizens of Japan to fight in World War II. (1940s)

Play/pause	Buy footage	Find more

Definition of the verb compel

What does compel mean as a doing word?

Compel is one of the top 1000 most common verbs in the English language.

verb - inflections: compelled, compelling

1. force somebody to do something
   • examples: We compel all students to fill out this form | They compel him to write the letter
   • syntax:

     Syntactic formula	Example for the syntactic formula
     [Agent - being or organization] [Verb] [Patient]	I forced him
     [Agent - being or organization] [Verb] [Patient] into [Proposition, object control with -ing]	I forced him into coming
     [Agent - being or organization] [Verb] [Patient] into [Proposition, not sentential clause]	I forced John into the chairmanship

     Force Verbs (with the same syntax): bamboozle, bullock, coax, coerce, commission, dare, draw, encourage, entice, force, impel, incite, induce, inveigle, jolt, lead, mislead, motivate, obligate, oblige, press, pressure, prod, prompt, push, rouse, rush, soothe, spur, sweet-talk, tempt.

   • lexical domain: Activities - verbs of political and social activities and events
   • synonyms of compel: obligate / oblige
   • more generic words: cause / get / have / induce / make / stimulate = cause to do
   • more specific words:
     • thrust / force = impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably
     • walk = make walk
     • pressure / squeeze / coerce / force / hale = to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
     • clamor = compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring
     • condemn = compel or force into a particular state or activity
     • shame = compel through a sense of shame
     • implement / enforce / apply = ensure observance of laws and rules
     • constrain / enforce / impose = compel to behave in a certain way
   • cause: act / move
2. necessitate or exact
   • example: the water shortage compels conservation
   • lexical domain: Stative - verbs of being, having, spatial relations
   • more generic terms: ask / call for / demand / involve / necessitate / need / postulate / require / take = require as useful, just, or proper

Alternative definition of the verb compel

verb

1. [transitive, archaic] [literally] To drive together, round up
2. [transitive] To overpower; to subdue
3. [transitive] To force, constrain or coerce
4. [transitive] To exact, extort, (make) produce by force

Group

Compel is a musical group.

• album: "Compel"

Music

"Compel" is a musical album of Compel.

• released on 28 April 2012

Miscellanea

1. Compel: To compel one to present information to a jury is done by order of a judge. If a judge believes the individual has information relevant to the cause, he can "force" that person to present that information or be subject to arrest for contempt of court.
2. Compel is a software.

Printed dictionaries and other books with definitions for Compel

Click on a title to look inside that book (if available):

Go Ye...! a Command, Not an Option (2013)

Extreme Measures Igniting You Into the Soul Winner You've Longed to Be by Charles C. Blackshear

The word compel means to force or drive, especially to a course of action: to secure or bring about by force: to subdue or overpower. The Greek word is anankazo, which means to constrain by force or persuasion. Please understand, the word ...

The Law Journal Reports (1899)

For the Year ...

Here, even on the most narrow construction of section 7, the besetting was illegal , and was done with a view to compel the employers. Any of these things done with a view to compel is a wrongful act unless there are unusual circumstances, ...

Growing Your Faith (2014)

How to Mature in Christ by Jerry Bridges

Compel is a strong word and often has a negative association with force or coercion. But here its meaning is positive. Charles Hodge wrote that the love of Christ “coerces, or presses, and therefore impels. It is the governing influence which ...

Master the ASVAB, 22nd Edition (2014)

by Scott Ostrow

Compel is a much stronger word than persuade. 24C Keen means acute, sensitive, or sharp. 25A Startled means frightened suddenly,though notseriously, hence surprised. 26D Forthcoming means coming up or approaching. 27B A verdict is ...

Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words (2002)

by Bill Bryson

Compel is the stronger of the two and, like its cousin compulsion, suggests action undertaken as a result of coercion or irresistible pressure: “The man's bullying tactics compelled us to flee.” Impel is closer in meaning to encourage and means ...

Master the ASVAB (2010)

by Scott A. Ostrow

23-C To compel is to require, to coerce, or to force. Compel is a much stronger word than persuade. 24-C Keen means acute, sensitive, ...

Garner's Modern English Usage (2016)

by Bryan Garner

Current ratio: 2,714:1 compel; impel. Compel is the stronger word, connoting force or coercion, with little or no volition on the part of the one compelled. Impel connotes persuasive urging, with some degree of volition on the part ...

The Daily Washington Law Reporter (1902)

In the case of West, recently decided by the Court of Appeals of this District, to which reference has been made, the court said: “The fact that an act which mandamus seeks to compel is the culmination of a series of proceedings of a judicial or ...

A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (2001)

by Bryan A. Garner

compel; impel. Compel is the stronger word, connoting force or coercion, with little or no volition on the part of the one compelled ...

The Washington Law Reporter (1902)

In the case of West, recently decided by the Court of Appeals of this District, to which reference has been made, the court said : "The fact that an act which mandamus seeks to compel is the culmination of a series of proceedings of a ...

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (2015)

by Orr, James

COMPEL. kom-pel ́: Our English word always has in it now the flavor of force, not always, however, physical.

A Complete Encyclopedia of Virginia Law (1922)

Being a Concise But Complete Alphabetical Presentation of the Present Common and Statute Law, Civil and Criminal of the Commonwealth Based on the Monumental Works of Dr. B. Minor, Etc.; with Forms by Samuel Need Hurst

to compel a court to reinstate a cause erroneously dismissed; (10) to compel il.e payment of a public officer's salary; (11 ) to compel the keeper of the rolls to have a bill, which in the court's opinion has ...

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Or a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature (1810)

By distress; to compel the payment or performance. 2. By action of debt. 3. By assize. 4. By writ de consuetudinibus et servitiis; —to compel the payment. 5. By writ of ce/savit;- and, 6. By writ of right sur disclaimer;-to recover the land itself. (3. ) ...

The Encyclopedia of United States Supreme Court Reports (1910)

Being a Complete Encyclopedia of All the Case Law of the Federal Supreme Court Up to and Including Volume 206 U.S. Supreme Court Reports (book 51 Lawyers' Edition)

—The benefit to the relator, arising from a mandamus to compel ...

Pansegrouw's Crossword Dictionary (1994)

by Louisa Pansegrouw

euphonious, even, favourable, fit, friendly, genial, harmonious, just, kindly, matching, melodious, musical, pleasant, pleasing, proportional, simpatico, sympathetic compatriot countryman compel coerce, command, commit, conquer, constrain, ...

The American and English Encyclopaedia of Law (1908)

by David Shephard Garland, Lucius Polk McGehee, James Cockcroft

To Compel Placing of Name on Official Ballot. – State v. Goff, 129 Wis.

A Law Dictionary (1969)

by J.A. Ballentine

A writ to compel the justices to allow one in the Service of the king to appear by attorney. De claro die. By the light of day. De clause fracto. 0f breach of close. ' De clerico admittendo. mittendo clerico. De clerico capto per statutum mercaterium ...

The new international encyclopaedia (1905)

by Daniel Coit Gilman, Harry Thurston Peck, Frank Moore Colby

Whenever a term of a written contract is incorporated in or omitted from it by mistake, equity will compel a reformation, or, more properly, a reexecution of the contract in accordance with the intention of the parties. Where a contract is tainted ...

Online dictionaries and encyclopedias with entries for Compel

Click on a label to prioritize search results according to that topic:

Usage statistics about compel

The following statistics are based on the British National Corpus, so they are representative for the British English from the later part of the 20th century, both spoken and written.

Distribution of usage frequency for the most common synonyms of the verb compel:

Photos about Compel

Click on an item to view that photo:

compel

Photo credit: ben silverman

If you need related images for an article or a report, you can download stock photos:
More...

Video language resources about Compel

Click on an item to play that video:

See also the pronunciation examples of Compel!

Quotes about Compel

If you want to be respected by others the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you. (Dostoevsky)
more quotes about compel...

Scrabble value of C₃O₁M₃P₃E₁L₁

The value of this 6-letter word is 12 points. It is included in the first and second editions of the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary.

Share this page

Next...

Go to the usage examples of Compel to see it in context!