COMPEL (compelled, compelling)
Dictionary entry overview: What does compel mean?
• COMPEL (verb)
The verb COMPEL has 2 senses:
1. force or compel somebody to do something
2. make someone do something
Familiarity information: COMPEL used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• COMPEL (verb)
Meaning:
Force or compel somebody to do something
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
compel; obligate; oblige
Context example:
We compel all students to fill out this form
Hypernyms (to "compel" is one way to...):
cause; get; have; induce; make; stimulate (cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner)
Cause:
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "compel"):
apply; enforce; implement (ensure observance of laws and rules)
shame (compel through a sense of shame)
condemn (compel or force into a particular state or activity)
clamor (compel someone to do something by insistent clamoring)
coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze (to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :)
walk (make walk)
force; thrust (impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably)
enforce; impose (compel to behave in a certain way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They compel him to write the letter
Meaning:
Make someone do something
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
command; compel; require
Hypernyms (to "compel" is one way to...):
enjoin; order; say; tell (give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "compel"):
burden; charge; saddle (impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to)
requisition (make a formal request for official services)
disallow; forbid; interdict; prohibit; proscribe; veto (command against)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
