compulsive

/kəmˈpʌlsɪv/

//kəmˈpʌlsɪv// adj

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

"compulsive" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“compulsive” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,795. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,795
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.

Corpus desk

Index EN-compulsive · compulsive · English

compulsive · rank #19,795 · 15 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #19,795
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH complexion

Nearest frequency peer: complexion (-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 “compulsive”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “compulsive” 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).

compulsive vs compulsion
80% similar

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

Key facts for compulsive
PropertyValue
Headwordcompulsive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kəmˈpʌlsɪv/
Letters10
Frequency rank#19,795
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “compulsive”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).compulsivelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “complexion” (#19,794), “congenital” (#19,796), “commuting” (#19,793). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “compulsive” is #19,795. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around compulsive (IPA /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #19,795 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for compulsive, with forms such as "ccompulsive", "cmopulsive", and "commpulsive". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "compulsion", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). The correct English form is compulsive, spelled C-O-M-P-U-L-S-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.
  2. 2
    Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Jenny is a compulsive liar—don't believe a thing she says.
  2. Under this Act, the term "disability" shall not include—...(2) compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; or[…]

Etymology

Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).

This word in other languages

compulsivo(Español)zwanghaft(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccompulsive
  • cmopulsive
  • commpulsive
  • complusive
  • comppulsive
  • compulisve
  • compullsive
  • compulsiev
  • compulsivve
  • compulssive
  • compulsvie
  • compuslive
  • comuplsive
  • copmulsive
  • ocmpulsive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of compulsive - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccompulsive1cmopulsive2commpulsive1complusive2comppulsive1compulisve2compullsive1compulsiev2
Edit distance from "compulsive"

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 "compulsive"?
"compulsive" is spelled C-O-M-P-U-L-S-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/.
What does "compulsive" mean?
As an adjective, "compulsive" means: Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.
What words are commonly confused with "compulsive"?
"compulsive" is commonly confused with "compulsion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "compulsive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "compulsive" is /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/. 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 "compulsive"?
Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). 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 "compulsive", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

complexion#19,794congenital#19,796corrective#19,799dishwasher#19,816

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

crumbling15 variantsbelievable15 variantsgenerously15 variantshousekeeper15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list