How to Use compel in a Sentence

compel

verb
Definition of compelnext
Synonyms for compelnext
  • Illness compelled him to stay in bed.
  • We took steps to compel their cooperation.
  • Everyone knew the words and felt compelled to join in on the fun.
    — Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, 16 Nov. 2019
  • The older players see it and have to be compelled to stay on top of their games.
    — Susan Miller Degnan, miamiherald, 5 Nov. 2017
  • That compelled her to throw her hat into the ring against Knight.
    — Jeffrey Mervis, Science | AAAS, 15 June 2018
  • For a large part of my life, I felt compelled to pick at my zits.
    — Emily Gaudette, SELF, 15 Apr. 2019
  • For the non-car people, they will be compelled by the back story.
    — Charles Fleming, latimes.com, 27 Apr. 2018
  • When the elite fail to lead, grassroots movements must compel them to do so.
    — Paul Laudicina, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022
  • This transit can compel us to act first and think later.
    — Venus Australis, refinery29.com, 5 Apr. 2020
  • The crushing new wave of attacks appear to have compelled the rebels to accept the deal.
    — Bassem Mroue, Fox News, 6 July 2018
  • Her characters come alive and compel you to take sides.
    — Steve West, sun-sentinel.com, 3 June 2021
  • But there has to be a present-day urgency compelling the return to the past.
    — Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
  • Imperati filed a motion to compel him to turn over the filings.
    — Kelan Lyons, courant.com, 5 Nov. 2020
  • The images compel us to ponder our place within that world.
    — John Zotos, Dallas News, 9 July 2020
  • Still other moments compel us to write just to say thank you for being a friend.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2018
  • And the president has not felt compelled to abandon a single one of them.
    — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, 20 June 2018
  • Bolstered by the response, he was compelled to rush out the song as his new single.
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2023
  • And what of the government’s power to compel service in wartime?
    — al, 11 Sep. 2021
  • The board has no power to ask or compel Lowery to resign.
    — Michael Williams, Dallas News, 24 Aug. 2023
  • And Christians do not have to power to compel us to believe.
    — David Harsanyi, National Review, 17 Nov. 2020
  • That said… The main concern is that the new kids on the block seem compelled to record and share their antics.
    — The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
  • Lebanon filed suit last month in an effort to compel Wolf to release the funding.
    — USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2020
  • If the residence doesn’t meet city code, the city can compel the landlord to fix the issues.
    — Nyssa Kruse, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2020
  • Grief over her death compelled me to leave my longtime home on the N.C. coast.
    — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, 7 Apr. 2020
  • More recently, the Jets felt compelled to jump three slots to snag the No.
    — Dan Bickley, azcentral, 22 Mar. 2018
  • Seraphine’s grief compels her to find out why her mother holds only one child?
    — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2019
  • Toran, who is black, noticed the retirement and was compelled to write.
    — Greg Moore, azcentral, 8 June 2019
  • Barwick denied a request to compel Rolfe to turn over the passcode for his phone.
    — Erin Donaghue, CBS News, 1 July 2020
  • No one feeling sick should feel compelled to attend their place of worship.
    — Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2020
  • Trump will meet with these kids and his presence could very well compel the kids to be deferential to him.
    — Drew Magary, GQ, 22 Feb. 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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