EN

Synonyms for compel

14 synonyms
9 antonyms
1 meaning

verb

Most common

coerce oblige force constrain

All synonyms

Verb

1. Coerce — to force, constrain, or coerce

coerce, oblige, force, constrain, make, drive, bind, obligate, thrust, press, dragoon, impel, enforce dated

Other

necessitate formal

Antonyms

dissuade, deter, discourage

All antonyms of compel →

Definitions

v. 1
To force, constrain, or coerce.
Congratulations, your courage compels respect.

Related words

Word family: compelled compelling compulsion

Forms

Past participle: compelled
e.g. compelled → coerced, obliged, forced, constrained…

Choose the right word

or Compel?

To compel one to an act is to secure its performance by the use of irresistible physical or moral force.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

bind I'm forever lost, can't you see? I'm in a bind!
oblige The laws oblige all citizens to pay taxes.
coerce I can try to persuade her to go, but I can't coerce her.
constrain What human trespass would constrain thy power, O Zeus?

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
compel		falling
bind		rising
oblige		steady
coerce		falling
constrain		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: make¹, bind¹
5 letters: force¹, press¹, drive¹, impel²
6 letters: thrust¹, oblige², coerce²
7 letters: enforce², dragoon
8 letters: obligate³
9 letters: constrain²
11 letters: necessitate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (impel² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: contraindre
Español: constreñir