compulsion

UK: /kəmˈpʌlʃ^ən/ US: /kəmˈpʌlʃən/ ,(kəm pul′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•pul•sion /kəmˈpʌlʃən/   n. 

1. [uncountable] the act of compelling or the state of being compelled.
2. Psychiatry [countable] a strong, irresistible impulse to perform an act, esp. one that is irrational or contrary to one's will.

See -puls-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•pul•sion  (kəm pul′shən), n. 

1. the act of compelling;
   constraint;
   coercion.
2. the state or condition of being compelled.
3. Psychiatry a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, esp. one that is irrational or contrary to one's will.

• Late Latin compulsiōn- (stem of compulsiō), equivalent. to Latin compuls(us), past participle of compellere to compel (com- com- + pul- variant stem + -sus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion
• Anglo-French)
• late Middle English (1375–1425

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

compulsion / kəmˈpʌlʃən/ noun

1. the act of compelling or the state of being compelled
2. something that compels
3. an inner drive that causes a person to perform actions, often of a repetitive nature, against his or her will
   See also obsession

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French, from Latin compellere to compel