compelled

American

[kuhm-peld] / kəmˈpɛld /

adjective

secured or brought about by force.

Statements made in a compelled interview may not be used in a criminal proceeding.
forced or driven to a particular course of action, often by an irresistible internal urge.

I haven't felt so compelled to learn as much as I can about something since my fascination with Slavic folk music!

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of compel.

Other Word Forms

uncompelled adjective

Etymology

Origin of compelled

compel ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a scathing order, Nunley laid out why he was compelled to take such a rare step.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

Those are positives and some of the reasons we haven’t felt compelled to be overtly activist.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

My bet is that Melania has been nursing a weird grudge about all this and simply felt compelled to say something.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

Sharp said she’s been compelled to put so many hours into this work because she feels a responsibility to do so for the future health of her young daughter and husband.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

With the book finished, there was new space in his life, and—also in keeping with who he’d always been—Barack felt compelled to fill it immediately.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023