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Compulsion vs. Compunction

Updated Feb 7, 2023

What are the differences between compulsion and compunction?

Compulsion is an irresistible impulse or urge to do something, often something that is irrational. For example: "The compulsion to purchase the latest model of phone was too strong for her to resist."

Compunction is a feeling of guilt, remorse, or regret for something done. For example: "He felt compunction for not visiting his grandmother more often."

Why do people commonly confuse compulsion and compunction?

People commonly confuse compulsion and compunction because of their similar spellings and pronunciations. Compulsion means an irresistible urge to do something, while compunction means a feeling of guilt or regret. While they are related in the sense that a compunction may lead to a compulsion, they do not mean the same thing.

What are some ways to make sure you don't confuse compulsion and compunction?

  1. Make sure you understand the definitions of both words. Compulsion is an act performed out of an irresistible urge, while compunction is a feeling of guilt or regret.

  2. Use the words in contexts that make it clear which one you mean. For example, “He felt no compunction about his actions, but was driven by a compulsion to do them.”

  3. Use a thesaurus to find synonyms that make it easier to distinguish between the two words. For example, instead of “compulsion” you could use “urge” or “drive”, and instead of “compunction” you could use “remorse” or “regret”.

  4. If you’re still unsure, look up example sentences to see how the words are used in context.

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