compulsion
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.
See Examples For:
None of these people is real, but the irritations they represent – NIMBYism, narcissism and the compulsion to destroy others to build ourselves up – are quite familiar.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
For that reason, Iran’s officers may feel no compulsion to kowtow to Beijing.
From Slate ● May 7, 2026
The episodes will focus on the interview subject’s compulsion to create, an obsession for Mason who grew up with a stepfather who was a portrait artist.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Yet his compulsion to embrace the world’s majesty in the manner of an illustrated weekly or a Victorian diorama conflicted with the project of capturing the poetry of untamed America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
Cicero ends with a final address to Catiline, and then with a contrastive apostrophe to Jupiter—effectively putting Catiline’s decision to depart under the compulsion of a God.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
Like Maddie, she can easily cloak compulsions under the blanket of modern body positivity.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
Early versions of aversion therapy were first trialled on animals and then on humans for conditions such as phobias, compulsions, and addictions, for example, using mild shocks to reduce nail-biting or gambling.
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025
“RachelOrmont” is cruel, clever and audacious to a fault, but when Rachel breaks free of her tech prison, Vack’s film transforms into a grim and deeply necessary indictment of our shared digital compulsions.
From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2025
But his chronicle of that heist expands into a saga of psychological suspense spanning nearly two decades and following half a dozen characters whose lives are twisted into grotesque shapes by their addictive compulsions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
They were racked with guilt for being alive, racked with pain in their heads and fear of ghosts, racked with nightmares and strange compulsions, punishments for being alive when the others were dead.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
Vocabulary lists containing compulsion
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
1984
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
