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.

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

Not everyone is compelled to spend the extra money on a monogram for their jammies, but the impulse comes from the early days of life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The congressional committee has already compelled a number of high-profile figures to testify in the case, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

In a post-coup period of emergency rule, Min Aung Hlaing served as both commander-in-chief of the armed forces and acting president, but to become permanent president he is constitutionally compelled to relinquish his military post.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The ghost Ari-Eil had told them—or been compelled by Minya to tell them—that the faranji were to be housed at the Merchants’ Guildhall, where a wing had been outfitted as a hostelry just for them.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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