compel

/kəmˈpɛl/

//kəmˈpɛl// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"compel" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“compel” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,067. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,067
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To drive together, round up.

Corpus desk

Index EN-compel · compel · English

compel · rank #20,067 · 9 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #20,067
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH colo

Nearest frequency peer: colo (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “compel”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “compel” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

compel vs cope
67% similar
compel vs coupe
67% similar
compel vs comte
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for compel
PropertyValue
Headwordcompel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəmˈpɛl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#20,067
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “compel”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).compellands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “colo” (#20,066), “cohesion” (#20,065), “clogged” (#20,064). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “compel” is #20,067. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around compel (IPA /kəmˈpɛl/), averb. Corpus frequency is #20,067 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for compel, with forms such as "ccompel", "cmopel", and "comepl". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cope", "coupe", "comte", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan. The correct English form is compel, spelled C-O-M-P-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To drive together, round up.
  2. 2
    To overpower; to subdue.
  3. 3
    To force, constrain, or coerce.
  4. 4
    To forcefully or powerfully motivate (a course of action).
  5. 5
    To have a strong, irresistible force (on someone or something).
  6. 6
    To exact, extort, (make) produce by force.
  7. 7
    To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
  8. 8
    To gather or unite in a crowd or company.
  9. 9
    To call forth; to summon.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how compel appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The shepherds compelled the stray sheep into the fold as night began to fall.
  2. She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man.

Etymology

From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan.

This word in other languages

compeler(Español)contraindre(Français)zwingen(Deutsch)forçar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccompel
  • cmopel
  • comepl
  • commpel
  • compell
  • comple
  • comppel
  • copmel
  • ocmpel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of compel - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccompel1cmopel2comepl2commpel1compell1comple2comppel1copmel2
Edit distance from "compel"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "compel"?
"compel" is spelled C-O-M-P-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /kəmˈpɛl/.
What does "compel" mean?
As a verb, "compel" means: To drive together, round up.
What words are commonly confused with "compel"?
"compel" is commonly confused with "cope", "coupe", "comte". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "compel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "compel" is /kəmˈpɛl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "compel"?
From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "compel", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Chiang#20,060crates#20,077booths#20,053boomer#20,052

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

clogged9 variantsbudding9 variantsbrittle9 variantsdashed9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list