How do you pronounce compulsory?

The recorded pronunciation is /kəmˈpʌlsəɹi/.

compulsory

/kəmˈpʌlsəɹi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.70 in modern English

Syllables: com-pul-so-ry
IPA: /kəmˈpʌlsəɹi/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Required; obligatory; mandatory.

adj

Having the power of compulsion; constraining.

noun

Something that is compulsory or required.

Example Sentences

"The ten-dollar fee was compulsory."
"They are entirely private concerns, established by individual teachers, and attendance upon them is no more compulsory than attendance on our dispensaries."
"Some might agree that membership in the firm is perhaps more compulsory than membership in a municipality, but balk at applying the analogy to the nation."
"Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting."
"I haven't booked, so I don't have a clue as to whether the service will be busy or not. Supposedly, reservations are compulsory, but I want to find out what would happen if you just turn up."
"Such compulsory measures are limited."

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin compulsorius, from Latin compulsus. Displaced native Old English ġenīedelīċ.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: compulsus

Inflected Forms

more compulsory (comparative) most compulsory (superlative) compulsary (alternative, India) compulsories (plural)

Derived Forms

compulsorily compulsoriness compulsoryness noncompulsory semicompulsory uncompulsory

Phrases

compulsory acquisition compulsory education compulsory heterosexuality compulsory purchase compulsory purchase order non-compulsory

Frequently Paired Words

command instruction requisite advised encouraged recommended suggested

Synonyms

mandatory binding compulsatory compulsory decretory forced imperative involuntary nonoptional obligatory required unbewised

Antonyms

optional voluntary