compelled by necessity

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "compelled by necessity" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where someone is forced to act due to urgent needs or circumstances. Example: "She felt compelled by necessity to take on a second job to support her family."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Rather than having a free relation to what we do and what we love, we would be compelled by necessity to enjoy it.

The New York Times

Freedom and humanity are accomplished by action in the public eye, transcending labor to which man is compelled by necessity.

SEP

There are verses in the Glorious Qur'an that remove guilt if a certain course of action is pursued when there is no recourse: "But if compelled by necessity, neither desiring it nor transgressing bounds, there is no sin.

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Compelled by economic necessity as much as by ecological awareness, many corporations now seem to compete as vigorously to display their environmental credentials as they do to sell their products.

The New Yorker

It is a Depression-era mood that we encounter here -- in other words, an atmosphere oddly parallel to that of present-day America, where most consumers are compelled by economic necessity to live their dreams vicariously on Oscar night.

The New York Times - Arts

One of the premises of the reservation system was, in the words of one Indian commissioner, to place Indians "in positions where they can be controlled and finally compelled by sheer necessity to resort to agricultural labor -- or starve". Food rations for reservations were only about half those distributed to the American Army.

The New York Times - Arts

But for Sartre, authentic historical understanding demanded a much more personal and committed narrative, a kind of interpretive diary of moral choices and risks compelled by critical necessity and an exacting reality.

University of Chicago

Like many startup founders, Branson was compelled by both necessity and a personal connection — at the time he was stuck in Puerto Rico, waiting for a flight to the British Virgin Islands, a flight that would be canceled because of a lack of passengers.

TechCrunch

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Vice

He did, after all, say this: "Man truly achieves his full human condition when he produces without being compelled by the physical necessity of selling himself as a commodity".

The Guardian - Books

Perhaps it may be more easy to govern a city broken and tamed with calamities and adversity, and compelled by danger and necessity to listen to wisdom, than to set a bridle on wantonness and temerity, and rule a people pampered and restive with long prosperity as were the Athenians when Pericles held the reins of government.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "compelled by necessity" when you want to emphasize that an action or decision was not a matter of choice, but rather an unavoidable response to a critical need or situation.

Common error

Avoid using "compelled by necessity" when the situation merely suggests a preference or strong recommendation, as it implies a lack of viable alternatives. Ensure the situation truly presents no other reasonable course of action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "compelled by necessity" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or clause, indicating the reason or cause behind an action. As Ludwig AI suggests, it describes scenarios where actions are not optional but are dictated by unavoidable circumstances.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "compelled by necessity" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase that explains actions resulting from unavoidable circumstances. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's a correct and usable phrase across various writing styles. It often appears in news, academic writing and scientific publications, suggesting a neutral to formal tone. While not exceedingly common, understanding its proper usage—emphasizing a lack of choice—is critical. Alternatives include "driven by need" or "forced by circumstances", offering similar shades of meaning while potentially fitting different contextual nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

driven by need

Emphasizes the driving force as a direct result of a pressing need.

forced by circumstances

Highlights the external factors that leave no other option.

obliged by requirement

Focuses on the mandatory aspect of the situation.

constrained by obligation

Stresses the restrictive nature of the compelling factor.

impelled by urgency

Underscores the time-sensitive nature of the compulsion.

necessitated by situation

Highlights how the situation made something unavoidable.

dictated by conditions

Implies that external conditions are in control of the action.

required due to exigency

Uses a more formal tone to express the pressing need.

motivated by essentiality

Highlights the role of an essential element as a driving force.

coerced by the inevitable

Paints a picture where there's no other way around it.

FAQs

How can I use "compelled by necessity" in a sentence?

You can use "compelled by necessity" to indicate that someone is forced to act due to an urgent need or circumstance. For example, "She was "compelled by necessity" to take a second job to support her family".

What's a more formal alternative to "compelled by necessity"?

A more formal alternative would be "necessitated by circumstances" or "required due to exigency", which both emphasize the unavoidable nature of the action.

Is it redundant to say "compelled by urgent necessity"?

Yes, saying "compelled by urgent necessity" can be considered redundant because "necessity" already implies urgency. You can simply say ""compelled by necessity"".

How does "compelled by necessity" differ from "motivated by necessity"?

"Compelled by necessity" implies a lack of choice, forced by the circumstances. "Motivated by necessity" suggests that necessity served as a strong incentive, but other choices might have existed. In simple terms, compelled is forced while motivated is "driven by need" but with a certain degree of freedom.