Compulsion: meaning, definitions and examples
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compulsion
[ kəmˈpʌlʃ(ə)n ]
feeling
The action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint. The irresistible impulse to perform an act, especially one that is irrational or contrary to one's will.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- She felt a compulsion to tell the truth.
- He couldn't resist the compulsion to check his phone.
psychology
An irrationally motivated act or decision. An irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will.
Synonyms
craving, fixation, impulse, obsession
Examples of usage
- His compulsion to wash his hands repeatedly is a symptom of OCD.
- She has a compulsion to count things repeatedly.
Translations
Translations of the word "compulsion" in other languages:
🇵🇹 compulsão
🇮🇳 आवश्यकता
🇩🇪 Zwang
🇮🇩 paksaan
🇺🇦 примус
🇵🇱 przymus
🇯🇵 強制 (きょうせい)
🇫🇷 compulsion
🇪🇸 compulsión
🇹🇷 zorlama
🇰🇷 강박
🇸🇦 إكراه
🇨🇿 nutkání
🇸🇰 nutkanie
🇨🇳 强迫 (qiǎngpò)
🇸🇮 prisila
🇮🇸 þrýstingur
🇰🇿 мәжбүрлеу
🇬🇪 იძულება
🇦🇿 məcburiyyət
🇲🇽 compulsión
Word origin
The word 'compulsion' originated from the Latin word 'compulsio', which means 'a driving, a force'. The concept of compulsion has been studied in psychology and psychiatry, particularly in relation to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addiction. The feeling of compulsion has been described in various literary works and is a common theme in human behavior and decision-making.
See also: compelled, compelling, compellingly, compellingness, uncompelling.