To free the mind and the heart from compulsory religious confession and observance was good for all three interested parties: the state, the church and the people.—👁 Image Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2009So he wants a private life and no photographs and nobody to know his home address. I can dig it, I can relate to that (but, like he should try it when it's compulsory instead of a free-choice option).—👁 Image Salman Rushdie, New York Times Book Review, 14 Jan. 1990He began to resent the compulsory attendance at the boring factory meetings.—👁 Image James Reston, Jr., Time, 28 Nov. 1988compulsory retirement at age 70
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But the trial judge, not the jury, will rule on any compulsory changes for Meta at the trial’s second stage in May.—👁 Image Peter Weber, TheWeek, 25 Mar. 2026 Fittingly, the summit’s resemblance to summer camp fostered a mood of compulsory cheer.—👁 Image Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 In the Netherlands and countries in Scandinavia for example, English classes are compulsory at schools and so individuals pick up the language at a much younger age, hence often functioning as a natural second language.—👁 Image Aslesha Mehta, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026 The Select Committee further asserted that the compulsory separation of children from their parents was required for the assimilation of First Peoples.—👁 Image Roland Martin, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for compulsory
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French compulsorie "compelling, coercive," borrowed from Medieval Latin compulsōrius, derivative, with -tōrius, deverbal adjective suffix (originally forming derivatives from agent nouns ending in -tōr-, -tor) of Latin compellere "to drive together, force to go, force (to a view, course of action)" (with -s- from past participle compulsus) — more at compel
specifically: required to be brought or asserted in a pleading because of having arisen from the transaction or occurrence that is the subject of litigation
