From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcompelcom‧pel /kəmˈpel/ ●●○ verb (compelled, compelling) [transitive] 1 FORCE somebody TO DO somethingto force someone to do something → compulsioncompel somebody to do something The law will compel employers to provide health insurance. She felt compelled to resign because of the scandal.► see thesaurus at force2 formalCAUSE to make people have a particular feeling or attitude → compulsion His performance compelled the audience’s attention.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
compel• Chang's performance compels attention.• It is also a satisfying behind-the-scenes tour for foodies, full of compelling characters and anecdotes.• The other compelling element of this marine encounter is the sheer physical and imaginative space that such a gathering entails.• The ombudsman will have power to recommend that a lawyer or professional body pay compensation, but not to compel payment.• So there was a compelling push for change in science.• Force is the precondition for compelling the majority of people to accept this pretension.• Christians had been compelled to give up meetings for corporate worship, but still kept up small prayer meetings in houses.• I think every guy who can scribble slightly better than he dribbles has felt compelled to share the same old tale.• All the young men in the area were compelled to work in the quarries and coal mines.• He takes border stereotypes and presents them in interesting and compelling ways.• The attorney general has the right to compel witnesses to appear in court.felt compelled• County officials felt compelled to comply.• Reno apparently felt compelled to deny not just that she was a lesbian, but that she had any sexuality at all.• Even Massachusetts felt compelled to expel many free blacks.• Newly married and ecstatically happy, he yet felt compelled to offer himself for one of the war's most hazardous enterprises.• Mike Teague felt compelled to punch the wild Tinnock away and was in turn punched.• In 1960, though, he felt compelled to return to the painting.• But because there were those who wanted me to fail, I felt compelled to succeed.• Many councillors said they felt compelled to vote against the motion because they believed in the tenant farmers freedom of choice.Origin compel (1300-1400) Latin compellere, from com- ( → COM-) + pellere “to drive” 