Compulsory and Essential

Compulsory

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

Essential is a synonym for compulsory in obligatory topic. In some cases you can use "Essential" instead an adjective "Compulsory".

Nearby Words: compulsion, compulsive

Essential

Essential adjective - Impossible to do without.
Usage example: a well-stocked public library is essential for the well-being of a community

Compulsory is a synonym for essential in required topic. You can use "Compulsory" instead an adjective "Essential", if it concerns topics such as crucial.

Nearby Words: essence, essentially, essentiality
Cite this Source
Essential and Compulsory. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 20, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/essential
Compulsory & Essential. N.p., 2016. Web. 20 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/essential>.
Essential or Compulsory. 2016. Accessed July 20, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/compulsory/essential.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "compulsory" and "essential" have occurred on timeline