Compulsory vs. Optional

Compulsoryadjective

Required; obligatory; mandatory.

‘The ten-dollar fee was compulsory.’;

Optionaladjective

Not compulsory; left to personal choice; elective.

‘On that beach clothing is entirely optional.’;

Compulsoryadjective

Having the power of compulsion; constraining.

‘Such compulsory measures are limited.’;

Optionalnoun

Something that is not compulsory, especially part of an academic course.

Compulsorynoun

Something that is compulsory or required.

Optionalnoun

(programming) In the Swift programming language, a kind of variable that is assigned a specific data type but may or may not hold an actual value.

Compulsoryadjective

Having the power of compulsion; constraining.

Optionaladjective

Involving an option; depending on the exercise of an option; left to one's discretion or choice; allowed but not compulsory; as, optional studies; it is optional with you to go or stay.

‘If to the former the movement was not optional, it was the same that the latter chose when it was optional.’; ‘Original writs are either optional or peremptory.’;

Compulsoryadjective

Obligatory; enjoined by authority; necessary; due to compulsion.

‘This contribution threatening to fall infinitely short of their hopes, they soon made it compulsory.’;

Optionaladjective

possible but not necessary; left to personal choice

Compulsoryadjective

required by rule;

‘in most schools physical education are compulsory’; ‘attendance is mandatory’; ‘required reading’;

Compulsoryadjective

required by law or a rule; obligatory

‘compulsory military service’; ‘it was compulsory to attend mass’;

Compulsoryadjective

involving or exercising compulsion; coercive

‘the abuse of compulsory powers’;