Compulsory and Elective

Compulsory

Compulsory adjective - Forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law.
Usage example: compulsory retirement at age 70

Elective is an antonym for compulsory in topics: obligatory, optional.

Nearby Words: compulsion, compulsive

Elective

Elective adjective - Subject to one's freedom of choice.
Usage example: a plastic surgeon who mainly does face-lifting and other kinds of elective surgery

Compulsory is an antonym for elective.

Nearby Words: elect, election, elected, electing, elector
Cite this Source
Elective and Compulsory. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/elective
Compulsory & Elective. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/elective>.
Elective or Compulsory. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/elective.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "compulsory" and "elective" have occurred on timeline