compel

Verb

Verb Forms: compelled, compelling, compels

To force or oblige someone to do something.
force somebody to do something
- "We compel all students to fill out this form"
necessitate or exact
- "the water shortage compels conservation"
To drive together, round up.
To overpower; to subdue.
To force, constrain, or coerce.
To forcefully or powerfully motivate (a course of action).
To have a strong, irresistible force (on someone or something).
To exact, extort, (make) produce by force.
To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
To gather or unite in a crowd or company.
To call forth; to summon.

Examples

Congratulations, your courage compels respect.
Logic compels the wise, while fools feel compelled by emotions.
The need for points would often compel him to play risky, shorter words.
The shepherds compelled the stray sheep into the fold as night began to fall.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan.

Synonyms

obligate, oblige

Scrabble Score: 12

compel: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
compel: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
compel: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

compel: valid Words With Friends Word