Compel
verbBase compel · Past compelled · Past Participle compelled · Present Participle compelling · 3rd person compels
Definition
1. (verb) To force someone to do something through rules, authority, or strong outside pressure.
2. (verb) To make someone feel a strong inner need or desire to do something — often through emotion, conscience, or curiosity.
2. (verb) To make someone feel a strong inner need or desire to do something — often through emotion, conscience, or curiosity.
Context Alive
You're standing in your kitchen at 11pm reading an email from your boss explaining a new policy. Starting next month, all employees are compelled to be in the office four days a week. You read it twice, then sigh and put the phone down on the counter. You make yourself a cup of tea, sit at the table, and stare out the window for a while, thinking about the long commute and your sleep schedule. By the time the tea is gone, you've started writing a list of questions to bring up in tomorrow's team meeting.
Meanings
2 meanings
1
To Force Someone Through Rules or Authority (Verb)
Very Common
▼
This meaning is about using rules, laws, contracts, or strong outside pressure to make someone do something they might not otherwise do. Imagine a court ordering a witness to appear and give evidence — the witness is legally compelled to attend, whether they want to or not. This is describing power coming from outside the person, often institutional. You might say "new rules compel companies to disclose their carbon emissions", or someone could write "the law compels drivers to wear seatbelts". Or picture a struggling parent who's compelled by financial pressure to take a second job, even though they hate the long hours. The word suggests the person has little choice — the force comes from above or from the situation itself.
✏️ Compel is a formal word — common in law, business, journalism, and academic writing. In casual speech, native speakers usually say force or make: "the law makes drivers wear seatbelts" sounds more natural in everyday talk. The structure is almost always compel + someone + to + verb: "compelled him to apologise." Don't confuse it with compelled as the past participle in the next meaning, which has a different feel.
2
To Feel a Strong Inner Drive (Verb)
Common
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This meaning is about an inner emotional or moral force that drives you to do something — guilt, fascination, conscience, beauty, curiosity. Imagine reading a book that's so good you feel compelled to keep turning the pages, even though it's 2am and you have work tomorrow. This is describing a pull from inside, not pressure from outside. You might say "I feel compelled to apologise" when guilt drives you to do the right thing, or someone could write "she felt compelled to help the stranger" about a moment of kindness. Or picture a young artist who feels compelled to paint every weekend, even though no one is asking her to — something inside her simply has to come out. The word suggests strong, often emotional motivation that almost overrides choice.
✏️ This usage is especially common with the phrase feel compelled to + verb. It's how people describe acting from emotion or conscience rather than logic: "I feel compelled to write back," "she felt compelled to speak up." The related adjective compelling is also widespread — a compelling story, a compelling argument, a compelling reason all describe something that strongly attracts your attention or convinces you. "Compelling" is one of the most useful B2 adjectives for talking about books, films, and ideas.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
compel + someone + to + verb → the standard pattern — forcing someone to act
The new law compels companies to publish their salaries.
be compelled to + verb → passive — being forced or driven
He was compelled to resign after the scandal.
feel compelled to + verb → describing inner emotional drive
I felt compelled to apologise even though it wasn't really my fault.
Common Structures
compel + obedience / silence / cooperation → forcing abstract responses
His tone compelled obedience without saying a word.
compelling + noun → the adjective form, very common
She made a compelling argument for the new policy.
nothing can compel + someone + to + verb → describing the impossibility of forcing someone
Nothing can compel me to eat raw oysters again.
Collocations
10 collocationscompel someone to do something
to force someone into an action
be compelled by law
to be required by legal rules
be compelled to resign
to be forced to leave a position
feel compelled to apologise
to feel driven to say sorry
feel compelled to act
to feel inner pressure to do something
compel obedience
to force someone to obey
compel cooperation
to force someone to work with you
compel silence
to force someone to stay quiet
compelling argument
a convincing point that's hard to ignore
compelling story
a story that grabs and holds attention
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
The court compelled him to give evidence at the trial.
The court forced him to testify in the trial.
2
I felt compelled to write back to her after reading the letter.
I felt strongly driven to reply to her after reading the letter.
3
New rules compel all banks to disclose their fees more clearly.
Recent regulations force every bank to show its fees more openly.
4
He was compelled to resign after the scandal broke.
He was forced to step down once the scandal became public.
5
Her speech was so moving that I felt compelled to stand up and clap.
Her speech was so emotional that I felt driven to stand and applaud.
6
Financial pressure compelled the company to make difficult cuts.
Money worries forced the company to make tough reductions.
7
Nothing can compel me to watch that film again.
There's nothing that could force me to watch that movie a second time.
8
She felt compelled to help the stranger struggling with his luggage.
She felt a strong urge to assist the stranger having trouble with his bags.
9
The law compels employers to provide a safe working environment.
Legislation requires employers to ensure a safe workplace.
10
His honest answer compelled respect from the interview panel.
His truthful response earned the interview panel's respect.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsforce
more general and casual everyday equivalent
oblige
more formal — to make someone feel they must do something
require
broader, often used in rules and instructions
Antonymsallow
to give permission rather than forcing
release
to free someone from an obligation
exempt
to officially free someone from a duty