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Choice vs Compulsion - What's the difference?

choice | compulsion |

As nouns the difference between choice and compulsion

is that choice is an option; a decision; an opportunity to choose or select something while compulsion is an irrational need to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.

As an adjective choice

is especially good or preferred.

choice

English

(wikipedia choice)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An option; a decision; an opportunity to choose or select something.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-01
  • , author=Steven Sloman , title=The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation , volume=100, issue=1, page=74 , magazine= citation , passage=Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.}}
    Do I have a choice of what color to paint it?
  • One selection or preference; that which is chosen or decided; the outcome of a decision.
  • The ice cream sundae is a popular choice for dessert.
  • Anything that can be chosen.
  • The best or most preferable part.
  • * Milton
  • The flower and choice / Of many provinces from bound to bound.
  • Care and judgement in selecting; discrimination.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • I imagine they [the apothegms of Caesar] were collected with judgment and choice .
  • (obsolete) A sufficient number to choose among.
  • (Shakespeare)

    Synonyms

    * (anything that can be chosen) assortment, range, selection * the cream * See also

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Especially good or preferred.
  • It's a choice location, but you will pay more to live there.
  • (slang, New Zealand) Cool; excellent.
  • Choice ! I'm going to the movies.

    Synonyms

    * (especially good or preferred) prime, prize, quality, select

    compulsion

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An irrational need to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=David Simpson
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=36, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Fantasy of navigation , passage=It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].}}
  • The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act.
  • The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration).