compulsionnoun
uk/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/us/kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/compulsion noun (WANT)
[ C ] a very strong feeling of wanting to do something repeatedly that is difficult to control:
For many people, dieting is a compulsion.
[ + to infinitive ] I seem to have a constant compulsion to eat.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Feelings of desire
- appetite
- caprice
- covetous
- craving
- cupidity
- dream
- drive
- get itchy feet idiom
- hunger
- impulse buy
- inclination
- longing
- lust
- need
- urge
- vaulting
- whim
- wish
- yearning
- yen
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compulsion noun (FORCE)
[ S or U ] a force that makes you do something:
He seems to be driven by some kind of inner compulsion.
[ + to infinitive ] We were under no compulsion to attend.
Don't feel under any compulsion to take me with you.
See also
compel
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing somebody to act
- a kick up the arse/backside idiom
- arm-twisting
- bludgeon
- bounce
- bounce sb into sth
- bulldoze
- forcible
- hold sb to ransom idiom
- impel
- impose
- jolt
- push
- railroad
- screw
- shanghai
- slap sth on/onto (sth/sb)
- squeeze
- squeeze sth out of sb
- trap
- wring sth from/out of sb
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