compel
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to force someone to do something, often by using a law, a rule, or a strong request.
to force, constrain, or coerce an individual to perform an action, often through legal or moral obligation.
Simple“The new law will compel companies to disclose how much waste they produce.”
In context“The court order will compel the defendant to produce the financial records that were previously withheld during the discovery phase.”
UsageCommonly used in the pattern 'compel someone to do something'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to make something happen because it is so strong or interesting that you cannot ignore it.
to elicit or necessitate a particular feeling, reaction, or course of action through an irresistible influence.
Simple“The evidence was so strong that it compelled the jury to change their minds.”
In context“The speaker's eloquence was such that it compelled immediate attention from even the most cynical members of the audience.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
to force people or animals to move together into one group.
to drive together or round up; to gather by force.
Simple“The soldiers sought to compel the villagers into the central square.”
In context“In the epic poem, the shepherd is described as compelling his scattered flock toward the safety of the fold before the storm broke.”
“But Trump has no authority to rename Canada’s portion of the lake, nor to compel Canada, international legal bodies, international mapmakers, or the rest of the world to adopt a new name.”
“The states are also asking the court to compel the company to promote the wellbeing of its users and set time restrictions for its youngest consumers.”
From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.