CEFR C1

compulsion

noun

Meaning

An irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one's conscious wishes; a strong, often irrational, impulse.

Examples

He felt a strong compulsion to confess his secret, even though it would cause trouble.
The artist worked with a creative compulsion, often forgetting to eat or sleep.

Synonyms: urge, impulse, obsession, mania

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compulsion (C1)

noun

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpʌlʃən/

Definition

An irresistible urge to behave in a certain way, especially against one's conscious wishes; a strong, often irrational, impulse.

Examples

He felt a strong compulsion to confess his secret, even though it would cause trouble.
The artist worked with a creative compulsion, often forgetting to eat or sleep.
Despite her efforts to stop, the compulsion to tidy her desk repeatedly took over.

How to Use compulsion

compulsion to do something (prepositional phrase): An urge to perform a specific action. — "He felt a compulsion to apologize for his rude behavior."
under compulsion (prepositional phrase): Being forced or coerced into an action. — "The prisoner acted under compulsion when he revealed the information."

Synonyms of compulsion

Words with a similar meaning to compulsion:

Antonyms of compulsion

Words with the opposite meaning to compulsion:

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