"compulsion" meaning in English

See compulsion in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ [UK], /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ [US] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav Forms: compulsions [plural]
enPR: kəm-pŭl'shən Etymology: Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel. Etymology templates: {{bor|en|frm|compulsion}} Middle French compulsion, {{der|en|LL.|compulsiō}} Late Latin compulsiō, {{der|en|la|compellere||to compel, coerce}} Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”) Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} compulsion (countable and uncountable, plural compulsions)
  1. An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences. Tags: countable, uncountable Translations (irrational need to perform some action): порив (poriv) (Bulgarian), compulsió [feminine] (Catalan), nutkání [neuter] (Czech), dwang (Dutch), drang (Dutch), pakko (Finnish), pakkotoiminto (Finnish), Zwang [masculine] (German), Zwangneurose [feminine] [psychology, human-sciences, sciences] (German), kényszer (Hungarian), késztetés (Hungarian), éigeantas [masculine] (Irish), compulsão [feminine] (Portuguese), constrângere [feminine] (Romanian), позы́в (alt: необъясни́мый) [masculine] (Russian), жела́ние (alt: иррациона́льное) [neuter] (Russian), поры́в (porýv) [masculine] (Russian), compulsión [feminine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-compulsion-en-noun-MjSMOk2i Disambiguation of 'irrational need to perform some action': 87 8 5
  2. The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act. Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (topical): Directives, Human behaviour Translations (use of power to force a person to act): принуда (prinuda) (Bulgarian), pakottaminen (Finnish), prema (Galician), იძულება (iʒuleba) (Georgian), כְּפִיָּה (k'fiyá) [feminine] (Hebrew), אֹנֶס (ónes) [masculine] (Hebrew), kényszer (Hungarian), kényszerítés (Hungarian), erőszak (Hungarian), coactus [masculine] (Latin), uruhanga (Maori), सक्ती (saktī) [feminine] (Marathi), compulsão [feminine] (Portuguese), принужде́ние (prinuždénije) [neuter] (Russian), coacción [feminine] (Spanish), coerción [feminine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-compulsion-en-noun-fxfelUyC Disambiguation of Directives: 30 62 8 Disambiguation of Human behaviour: 7 47 46 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Galician translations, Terms with Georgian translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hebrew translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Irish translations, Terms with Latin translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Marathi translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Romanian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 17 57 27 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 16 62 22 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 13 67 19 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 13 68 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 18 61 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 17 62 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 15 68 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 13 68 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 17 62 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Galician translations: 17 62 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Georgian translations: 14 66 20 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 14 69 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Hebrew translations: 16 58 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 15 70 14 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 17 62 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Latin translations: 10 75 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 17 62 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Marathi translations: 13 74 14 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 11 70 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Romanian translations: 17 62 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 10 75 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 10 75 16 Disambiguation of 'use of power to force a person to act': 1 68 31
  3. The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration). Tags: countable, uncountable Categories (topical): Human behaviour Translations (lawful use of violence): принуда (prinuda) (Bulgarian), pakkokeinot [plural] (Finnish), принужде́ние (prinuždénije) [neuter] (Russian), coacción [feminine] (Spanish), coerción [feminine] (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-compulsion-en-noun-UKkrxQK4 Disambiguation of Human behaviour: 7 47 46 Disambiguation of 'lawful use of violence': 2 29 69
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: compulsional, compulsionary, compulsion loop, noncompulsion Related terms: compulsive, compulsory

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compulsional"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compulsionary"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compulsion loop"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "noncompulsion"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "compulsion"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French compulsion",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "LL.",
        "3": "compulsiō"
      },
      "expansion": "Late Latin compulsiō",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "compellere",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to compel, coerce"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "compulsions",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "compulsion (countable and uncountable, plural compulsions)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compulsive"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compulsory"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:",
          "text": "It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences."
      ],
      "id": "en-compulsion-en-noun-MjSMOk2i",
      "links": [
        [
          "irrational",
          "irrational"
        ],
        [
          "irresistible",
          "irresistible"
        ],
        [
          "perform",
          "perform"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "poriv",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "порив"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "compulsió"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "nutkání"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "dwang"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "drang"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "pakko"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "pakkotoiminto"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Zwang"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "topics": [
            "psychology",
            "human-sciences",
            "sciences"
          ],
          "word": "Zwangneurose"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "kényszer"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "word": "késztetés"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "éigeantas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "compulsão"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "constrângere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "alt": "необъясни́мый",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "позы́в"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "alt": "иррациона́льное",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "жела́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "porýv",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "поры́в"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 8 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "compulsión"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "17 57 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 62 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 67 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 68 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 61 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 68 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 68 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Galician translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 66 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Georgian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 69 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 58 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hebrew translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 70 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Irish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 75 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Latin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Maori translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 74 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Marathi translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 70 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 62 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Romanian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 75 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 75 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 62 8",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Directives",
          "orig": "en:Directives",
          "parents": [
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "7 47 46",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Human behaviour",
          "orig": "en:Human behaviour",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941 May, “Jubilee of the City Tube”, in Railway Magazine, page 223:",
          "text": "From the opening of the City & South London Railway independent electric locomotives were used under compulsion of the Board of Trade.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2016 January 17, “Wealthy cabals run America”, in Al Jazeera America, retrieved 2016-01-18:",
          "text": "But Treaty translator and Ottawa leader Andrew Blackbird described the Treaty as made “not with the free will of the Indians, but by compulsion.”",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act."
      ],
      "id": "en-compulsion-en-noun-fxfelUyC",
      "links": [
        [
          "authority",
          "authority"
        ],
        [
          "influence",
          "influence"
        ],
        [
          "power",
          "power"
        ],
        [
          "compel",
          "compel"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prinuda",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "принуда"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "pakottaminen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "prema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "iʒuleba",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "იძულება"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "k'fiyá",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "כְּפִיָּה"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "ónes",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "אֹנֶס"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "kényszer"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "kényszerítés"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "erőszak"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "coactus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "word": "uruhanga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "mr",
          "lang": "Marathi",
          "roman": "saktī",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "सक्ती"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "compulsão"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "prinuždénije",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "принужде́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "coacción"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 68 31",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "coerción"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "7 47 46",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Human behaviour",
          "orig": "en:Human behaviour",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration)."
      ],
      "id": "en-compulsion-en-noun-UKkrxQK4",
      "links": [
        [
          "lawful",
          "lawful"
        ],
        [
          "violence",
          "violence"
        ],
        [
          "administration",
          "administration"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 29 69",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prinuda",
          "sense": "lawful use of violence",
          "word": "принуда"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 29 69",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "lawful use of violence",
          "tags": [
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "pakkokeinot"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 29 69",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "prinuždénije",
          "sense": "lawful use of violence",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "принужде́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 29 69",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "lawful use of violence",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "coacción"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 29 69",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "lawful use of violence",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "coerción"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "kəm-pŭl'shən"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "compulsion"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from Middle French",
    "English terms derived from Late Latin",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle French",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Galician translations",
    "Terms with Georgian translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Latin translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Marathi translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Romanian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:Directives",
    "en:Human behaviour"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "compulsional"
    },
    {
      "word": "compulsionary"
    },
    {
      "word": "compulsion loop"
    },
    {
      "word": "noncompulsion"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "compulsion"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French compulsion",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "LL.",
        "3": "compulsiō"
      },
      "expansion": "Late Latin compulsiō",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "compellere",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to compel, coerce"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "compulsions",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "compulsion (countable and uncountable, plural compulsions)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "compulsive"
    },
    {
      "word": "compulsory"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:",
          "text": "It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "irrational",
          "irrational"
        ],
        [
          "irresistible",
          "irresistible"
        ],
        [
          "perform",
          "perform"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941 May, “Jubilee of the City Tube”, in Railway Magazine, page 223:",
          "text": "From the opening of the City & South London Railway independent electric locomotives were used under compulsion of the Board of Trade.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2016 January 17, “Wealthy cabals run America”, in Al Jazeera America, retrieved 2016-01-18:",
          "text": "But Treaty translator and Ottawa leader Andrew Blackbird described the Treaty as made “not with the free will of the Indians, but by compulsion.”",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "authority",
          "authority"
        ],
        [
          "influence",
          "influence"
        ],
        [
          "power",
          "power"
        ],
        [
          "compel",
          "compel"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lawful",
          "lawful"
        ],
        [
          "violence",
          "violence"
        ],
        [
          "administration",
          "administration"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "enpr": "kəm-pŭl'shən"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cd/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-compulsion.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "poriv",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "порив"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "compulsió"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "nutkání"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "dwang"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "drang"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "pakko"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "pakkotoiminto"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Zwang"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "psychology",
        "human-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "word": "Zwangneurose"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "kényszer"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "word": "késztetés"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "éigeantas"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "compulsão"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "constrângere"
    },
    {
      "alt": "необъясни́мый",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "позы́в"
    },
    {
      "alt": "иррациона́льное",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "жела́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "porýv",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "поры́в"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "irrational need to perform some action",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "compulsión"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prinuda",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "принуда"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "pakottaminen"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "prema"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "iʒuleba",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "იძულება"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "k'fiyá",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "כְּפִיָּה"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "ónes",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "אֹנֶס"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "kényszer"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "kényszerítés"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "erőszak"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "coactus"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "word": "uruhanga"
    },
    {
      "code": "mr",
      "lang": "Marathi",
      "roman": "saktī",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "सक्ती"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "compulsão"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "prinuždénije",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "принужде́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "coacción"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "use of power to force a person to act",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "coerción"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prinuda",
      "sense": "lawful use of violence",
      "word": "принуда"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "lawful use of violence",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "pakkokeinot"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "prinuždénije",
      "sense": "lawful use of violence",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "принужде́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "lawful use of violence",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "coacción"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "lawful use of violence",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "coerción"
    }
  ],
  "word": "compulsion"
}

Download raw JSONL data for compulsion meaning in English (9.3kB)

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/2028",
  "msg": "more than one value in \"alt\": (neobʺjasnímyj) pozýv vs. необъясни́мый",
  "path": [
    "compulsion"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "compulsion",
  "trace": ""
}

{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/2028",
  "msg": "more than one value in \"alt\": (irracionálʹnoje) želánije vs. иррациона́льное",
  "path": [
    "compulsion"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "noun",
  "title": "compulsion",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.