compulsory
B2Formal, official, legal, administrative, academic.
Definition
Meaning
Required by law or rules; mandatory.
Involving or exercising compulsion; forcing someone to do something. Can also describe something so necessary or compelling as to feel unavoidable.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a lack of choice due to an external authority or rule. Stronger than 'required' or 'necessary'. Often used in contexts of laws, regulations, education, and official procedures.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term identically in meaning and frequency. In the context of education, British English uses 'compulsory schooling' (ages 5-16/18); American English often says 'mandatory schooling' or 'compulsory education'.
Connotations
Identical. Both carry the same neutral-to-formal, authoritative connotation.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English, particularly in official public discourse (e.g., 'compulsory purchase order').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is compulsory (for someone) to do somethingSomething is compulsorySomething is made/rendered compulsoryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'Compulsory liquidation' is when a company is forced to close by court order.
Academic
A 'compulsory module' must be passed for a student to graduate.
Everyday
Wearing a seatbelt is compulsory for all passengers.
Technical
The new regulation introduces compulsory data breach reporting.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- Military service is no longer compulsory in the UK.
- The council issued a compulsory purchase order for the land.
American English
- Attendance at the safety briefing is compulsory for all new employees.
- Some states have compulsory helmet laws for motorcyclists.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- School is compulsory for children.
- It is compulsory to wear a helmet when riding a bike here.
- English is a compulsory subject in year 9.
- The government is considering making vaccination compulsory for healthcare workers.
- Failure to complete the compulsory training will result in access being revoked.
- The judge ordered the compulsory acquisition of the property to facilitate the new road scheme.
- Debate continues over the ethical implications of compulsory treatment orders in psychiatry.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: COMpulsory = COMmanded by the law. You are COMPelled to do it.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS FORCE (The rule/law forces you into action).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'компульсивный', which means 'compulsive' (psychological).
- The correct Russian equivalent is typically 'обязательный'.
- Do not confuse with 'compulsory' vs. 'mandatory' – in English, they are near-synonyms, unlike some Slavic language distinctions.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'compulsary', 'compulsery'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'compulsory of' instead of 'compulsory for'.
- Using in overly informal contexts where 'required' or 'have to' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'compulsory' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In everyday use, they are synonyms. Some legal or technical contexts may distinguish them (e.g., 'mandatory' implying required by statute, 'compulsory' implying enforced by authority), but for most learners they are interchangeable.
No, 'compulsory' is only an adjective. The related noun is 'compulsion'.
The most direct antonyms are 'optional' and 'voluntary'.
Yes, but it is quite rare and formal. It is the adverb form (e.g., 'He was compulsorily retired at 65'). 'Mandatorily' is equally rare. In most cases, we rephrase the sentence.
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