An irresistible urge to do something repeatedly, often against one's conscious wishes.
Examples:
His compulsion to clean the house daily was exhausting.She felt a compulsion to check her phone every few minutes.The artist was driven by an overwhelming compulsion to create.
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Antonyms:
Compunction
/kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple causing hesitation or regret.
Examples:
She felt compunction about missing the meeting but had no choice.Even after the victory, he felt compunction towards his rival.No compunction stopped her from taking the last slice of cake.
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Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Compulsion is often linked to a psychological need, while compunction relates to a moral or ethical feeling.
Think of compulsion as an irresistible urge to do something, similar to being compelled by force.
Contrast this with compunction, which is about feeling a slight guilt or moral discomfort after doing something.