To exert irresistible force or influence on someone or something to induce action or cause a particular outcome.
When the fire alarm rang in the middle of the night, the loud sound seemed to compel everyone out of bed. Even though it was cold and dark, people felt a strong need to leave their rooms and get to safety as quickly as possible.
The urgent shouts from inside the burning building began to compel him. He knew he should run, but a stronger force seemed to drive him forward, to help those trapped within. Fear was overcome by an irresistible urge to act.
The soldier's haunting stories of survival compel his fellow veterans to listen, their eyes fixed on him. Each word pulls them deeper into a world of raw courage and impossible choices, making them lean forward, desperate to understand the depth of his experience.
When my dog smells bacon, something seems to compel him to dance like a wild squirrel all around the kitchen. It doesn’t matter if he’s sleepy or in the middle of a nap—this tasty smell drives him so forcefully, he even forgets where he left his squeaky toy!
The runaway donut, glazed and glistening, was so delicious it began to compel me. My legs moved without thought, a sugary siren song urging me forward. Resistance was futile; that plump pastry was about to be my delicious doom.
The majestic mountain scenery seemed to compel Sarah to keep hiking higher and higher, despite her tired legs and shortness of breath. The breathtaking views and sense of achievement were irresistible forces that pushed her forward.
Amidst the relentless torrent of events, Ethan felt compelled to act. The weight of responsibility pressed down upon him with an irresistible force, driving him to confront the formidable obstacles that lay before him.
The darkness of the forest seemed to compel her further into its depths, the shadows closing in around her like sinister hands. The eerie silence was broken only by the rustling of leaves underfoot, creating an unsettling atmosphere that made her skin crawl. Despite her growing sense of unease, a strange force seemed to push her onwards, driving her deeper into the unknown. She tried to resist, but the compulsion was too strong, dragging her towards a fate she could not escape. The feeling of being helplessly compelled towards an unknown horror made her heart race with fear.
Her dreadful scream was abruptly cut off by a piercing cackle. The garish clown's eyes, blood-red and malevolent, burned into her as he gripped her firmly. Inexorably, she was drawn into the tent, her body compelled against her will by an unseen force. As her senses were consumed by the acrid stench of decay, she knew her fate was sealed.
In the heart of the enchanted forest, a powerful sorceress used her magic to compel the ancient trees to bend and sway to her will. As she walked through the twisted paths, her presence seemed to command the very air around her. The animals of the forest, normally skittish and shy, gathered around her, drawn by an unseen force. It was as if her very presence compelled them to come closer, to bask in the aura of her power. The sorceress smiled softly, knowing that her magic was strong enough to compel even the wildest of creatures to obey her commands.
Even though he wanted to stay with his friends, a deep sense of responsibility seemed to compel him to leave early and help his family prepare for dinner. No matter how much he wished to ignore it, the feeling drove him to act without hesitation.
The storm raged outside, its fury seeming to compel the small boat toward the jagged rocks. He gripped the tiller, his muscles burning, the sheer force of the wind and waves pushing him relentlessly onward. He had to fight, to steer them away, or all was lost.
The soldier's haunting memories compel him to return to the battlefield, searching for closure after years of unresolved trauma. Each step forward feels like a weight pulling him back, yet an inexplicable force drives him onward, demanding he confront the ghosts of his past.
Despite his best efforts to resist, the smell of fresh doughnuts would always compel Larry to abandon his morning jog and storm the bakery like a famished pirate after buried treasure, his healthy resolutions vanishing with each irresistible chocolate-glazed bite.
The smell of freshly baked cookies would compel even the most stoic dietitian to abandon their kale chips. It was an irresistible force, a fragrant siren song that would make even a monk pilfer a pastry. Their aroma, rich and buttery, would utterly compel anyone within olfactory range.
Even exhaustion could not compel her to stop, as responsibility for her brother’s safety drove her forward. The urgency of the situation was so intense and irresistible that it seemed to force every step she took, overriding fatigue and leaving her no option but to continue.
The mounting evidence began to compel him; he felt an irresistible urge to confess his transgression. The gnawing guilt and the potential repercussions were too much to bear, pushing him toward an admission he desperately wished to avoid.
The sergeant's fervent speech began to compel even the most hesitant soldiers forward. His raw intensity and unwavering conviction cut through their fear, transforming doubt into resolve as they prepared to cross the treacherous battlefield.
Despite the rain’s dismal ferocity, Harold’s insatiable craving for triple-chocolate éclairs would compel him from the comfort of his cocoon-like bed, driving him forcefully down slippery sidewalks like a sugar-fueled Olympian on a quest for patisserie glory. Even thunder seemed merely an irritating footnote.
The sheer effervescence of the artisanal pickle juice, coupled with the enigmatic aroma of fermented cabbage, began to compel Bartholomew toward the midnight snack. His stomach, a veritable tempest of carnivorous yearning, did not merely suggest, but irrepressibly necessitated an immediate pilgrimage to the pantry's most hallowed, brine-soaked treasures.
Normal — Everyday words worth reinforcing.