CultureAugust 3, 2026

compellence

kum-PEL-ens

Definition

The use of threats or limited force to coerce an adversary into performing a specific action that they would otherwise resist.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'compellere,' meaning 'to drive together' or 'to force,' which combined 'com-' (together) and 'pellere' (to drive). It entered English as a noun describing the act of forcing someone to act.

In the news

The article uses the term to distinguish between military strategies, noting that the administration oscillated between deterrence and compellence without a clear strategic hierarchy.

The First Great Compound War: Why America Is Fighting Iran With an Obsolete Theory of Victory

Read the full article ↗

Small Wars Journal

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