compulsory
/kəmˈpʌlsəri/ (bre, ipa) · /kəmˈpʌlsəri/ (ame, ipa) · /kəm-ˈpəl-sə-rē -ˈpəls-rē/ (ame, mw)
compulsory — adjective
- compulsorypositive
- more compulsorycomparative
- most compulsorysuperlative
1. Something that is compulsory is required by an official rule, law, or system, le
Something that is compulsory is required by an official rule, law, or system, leaving no choice about whether you do it or take part in it.
In England, education is compulsory for all children between the ages of five and sixteen.
compulsory for + group — indicates who the rule applies to
The head teacher made the swimming test compulsory for every student before graduation.
make + noun + compulsory — pattern for introducing a requirement
It is now compulsory to wear a seat belt in the back seats of a car.
For Élise, wearing a helmet while cycling became compulsory under the new city law.
Attendance at the Friday morning safety class is compulsory for all factory workers.
- mandatory
Interchangeable in most contexts; 'mandatory' feels slightly more formal and is often used in legal and workplace settings.
- obligatory
More formal than 'compulsory'; often appears in written rules, codes of conduct, or customs.
- required
A simpler, everyday word. 'Required' is less forceful than 'compulsory' and can apply to non-legal expectations.
文法句型
compulsory + noun
it is compulsory to + infinitive
compulsory for + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive
用法筆記
This adjective is commonly placed before the noun it describes (attributive position), as in 'compulsory education' or 'compulsory military service'. However, it also works naturally after a linking verb like 'is' or 'became' in a predicative pattern, e.g. 'Voting is compulsory in Australia.'
常見錯誤
❖ 'It is compulsory to attend the meeting.' ✅ 'Attendance at the meeting is compulsory.' — 'compulsory' describes the event, rule, or thing itself, not the action someone takes.
❖ 'I have compulsory to finish the report.' ✅ 'It is compulsory to finish the report.' OR 'Completing the report is compulsory.' — 'compulsory' is an adjective and cannot replace the modal verb phrase 'have to'.