3 syllables: Com, pul, sion. Stress on pul.
kuhm-PUHL-shuhn
/kəˈmpʌlʃən/
Compulsion is pronounced kuhm-PUHL-shuhn (/kəˈmpʌlʃən/). It has three syllables (Com-pul-sion), with the stress on "pul". Compulsion is a strong, often irresistible impulse to act, especially one driven by an urge that overrides voluntary control. It denotes internal pressure to perform a repetitive behavior or mental act, typically linked to anxiety reduction. The term is used in psychology and everyday speech to describe persistent, uncontrollable tendencies that influence behavior.
nounCompulsion is a strong, often irresistible impulse to act, especially one driven by an urge that overrides voluntary control. It denotes internal pressure to perform a repetitive behavior or mental act, typically linked to anxiety reduction. The term is used in psychology and everyday speech to describe persistent, uncontrollable tendencies that influence behavior.
- You’ll often misplace stress or shorten the second syllable; aim for com-PUL-sion with a clearly defined second syllable and a crisp, but not extreme, final fricative. - Avoid turning /pəl/ into a long vowel-consonant sequence like /pələn/; keep it compact /pəl/. - Don’t over-aspirate the /p/; keep it a clean stop leading into /l/. Practice by starting with slow, isolated sounds, then combine into a word.
How to Pronounce Compulsion
"Her compulsion to check the stove kept her up late, despite knowing it wasn’t necessary."
"The patient battled a ritualistic compulsion that interrupted daily tasks."
"In literature, compulsion can describe coercive social pressures that people feel to conform."
Pronounce as /kəmˈpəl.ʒən/ (US), /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ (UK), /kəmˈpɜːl.ʃən/ (AU). The stress is on the second syllable: com-PUL-sion. Start with an unstressed schwa /ə/, then a compact /pəl/ cluster, and end with /ʒən/ in US, or /ʃən/ in UK/AU. Keep the /l/ light and the /ʒ/ or /ʃ/ sound clear but not harsh. Practice by saying “uhm-PULL-zhen” slowly, then speed up to natural cadence.
Two frequent errors: 1) pronouncing /pəl/ as /pələ/ with an extra schwa; keep it tight as /pəl/. 2) mispronouncing the final /ʒən/ as /ʃən/ or /zən/. In careful speech, end with a voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ (US) or /ʃ/ (UK/AU) followed by a weak schwa. Focus on making the /l/ clear but not blocking the following fricative.
US tends toward /kəmˈpəl.ʒən/ with a /ʒ/ sound in the final cluster and a slightly rhotacized second syllable; UK often prefers /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ with /ʃ/ and a shorter /ʌ/ in the stressed syllable; AU mirrors UK but with subtle vowel shifts, sometimes closer to /kəmˈpəːl.ʃən/. The main difference is the final fricative: /ʒ/ (US) versus /ʃ/ (UK/AU) in many speakers, and vowel quality in the stressed syllable.
Key challenges are the /pəl/ cluster after a stressed syllable and the final post-alveolar fricative. The transition from the plosive /p/ to the lateral /l/ can feel tight, and the final /ʒ/ (US) or /ʃ/ (UK/AU) requires precise tongue blade elevation toward the alveolar ridge. Achieving a smooth, short /əl/ before the fricative and maintaining steady jaw tension helps avoid slurring or over-emphasizing the final consonant.
The most unique aspect is the final /ʒən/ vs /ʃən/ per speaker and dialect. The voicing of the final fricative depends on the dialect; Americans often maintain a voiced /ʒ/ before a schwa, while some UK/AU speakers glide to an easier /ʃ/ or a more dental tinge. Additionally, ensure the second syllable carries the primary stress and the preceding /l/ remains light but crisp, not muted by the following fricative.
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- US: rhoticity is common; you’ll hear an /r/ influence in fluent speech and slightly darker vowels. Keep /ʌ/ in stressed syllable, and ensure a clear /ɹ/ before the vowel cluster if present. - UK: less rhotic, more clipped vowels; you may hear /ʌ/ or /ɒ/ in stressed syllables depending on region. Use /ʃ/ for final sound with less lip rounding. - AU: similar to UK but with broader monophthongs; practice a more open /ɜː/ in some contexts. All accents keep the final /ʒən/ vs /ʃən/ distinction; use IPA references to verify.
Compulsion derives from the Latin word compellere, meaning to drive together or force. The noun form stems from late Latin compulsio, from compellere (to drive, force). In 15th-century English, compulsion carried religious and moral connotations of coercive pressure. By the 17th–18th centuries, it broadened to psychological contexts, describing irresistible mental impulses and compulsive behaviors. In modern usage, compulsion often appears in clinical psychology as part of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, with the term denoting repetitive, intrusive urges that compel action. First known use in English appears in the 15th century, with the sense evolving through medical and psychological discourse in the 19th and 20th centuries as understanding of compulsions and compulsive acts expanded beyond coercive force to internal drives.
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Words that rhyme with "Compulsion"
-ion sounds
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