compel

Meaning

1. To drive together, round up
2. To overpower; to subdue.
3. To force, constrain or coerce.
4. To exact, extort, (make) produce by force.
5. (obsolete) To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
6. (obsolete) To gather or unite in a crowd or company.
7. (obsolete) To call forth; to summon.

Synonyms

force

coerce

oblige

constrain

press

impel

enforce

make

drive

impose

obligate

require

urge

pressure

intimidate

necessitate

command

bully

dragoon

bludgeon

terrorize

browbeat

exact

persuade

dictate

tyrannize

rule

menace

harry

hector

direct

bind

hound

compulsion

induce

demand

insist

detain

harass

assert

extort

thrust

mandate

hustle

ill-use

imperative

impose upon

incite

inflect

inflict

instigate

instruct

involuntarily

stop

🛑

order

overpower

pawn

prescribe

press on

pressurise

protrude

push

put on

railroad

rape

ravish

reduce

restrain

restrict

round up

run down

sandbag

satisfy

scold

steamroller

strain

summon

suppress

tax

tell

threaten

tie up

violate

give an order

prevail upon

treat cruelly

push into

coene

industry

act against

compel to go

try to compel

use compulsion to

make something curved

persuade or bend

oppress

abet

ache

apply

appoint

arrest

bend

bid

bluff

boss

bow

🙇

carve

catch up with

cause

charm

clamp

🗜️

coercion

compulsory

confine

conjugate

decline

decree

diligence

draw near

encourage

enjoin

escort

excel

expel

extrude

fill

fix

flex

fold

follow

forced

forcible

govern

guard

💂

hale

hasten

hurry

hurry up

Hyphenated as

com‧pel

Pronounced as (IPA)

/kəmˈpɛl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: compellen

In summary

From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan.