# compulsion vs compulsive

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### compulsion
*noun · IPA /kəmˈpʌl.ʃən/ · frequency rank #25,325*
An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.

### compulsive
*adjective · IPA /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/ · frequency rank #19,795*
Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/compulsion-vs-compulsive