force 1 of 2

verb

Definition of forcenext
1
as in to compel
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure the public outcry from the scandal forced the mayor to resign road construction forced them to take an alternate route

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent was accused of forcing a woman

Synonyms & Similar Words

force

2 of 2

noun

ˈfȯrs How to pronounce force (audio)
1
as in manpower
a body of persons at work or available for work the entire force of the shipyard will be needed to get this government order done on time

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2
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another a cruel tyrant who disbanded the parliament and ruled by force

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in power
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task got through the college board exams by sheer force of will

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in effectiveness
the capacity to persuade surely you were influenced by the force of his arguments?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect expressed the full force of her frustration with her son for his reckless behavior

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6
as in violence
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property the officer threatened to resort to force if the suspect did not surrender

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in police
a body of officers of the law the police detective retired after 23 years on the force

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8
as in supply
the number of individuals or amount of something available at any given time the great debate during the Cold War was whether the nation's missile force was adequate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word force different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of force are coerce, compel, constrain, and oblige. While all these words mean "to make someone or something yield," force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

In what contexts can coerce take the place of force?

The meanings of coerce and force largely overlap; however, coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

When would compel be a good substitute for force?

While in some cases nearly identical to force, compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

When is it sensible to use constrain instead of force?

While the synonyms constrain and force are close in meaning, constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

When could oblige be used to replace force?

The words oblige and force are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of force
Verb
In 2021, the state implemented several new and stricter penalties for hazing after 19-year-old Timothy Piazza, a New Jersey resident, died after being forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol while attending Penn State University. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025 But the rollout was anything but an innovative whirlwind; the launch was so bad that OpenAI was forced to restore access to GPT-4 while the problems got smoothed out. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
From Caracas’s perspective, this move likely looks like a show of force or encirclement. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025 Gallego and other lawmakers have signaled intentions to introduce measures that would require stricter accountability and reporting for lethal force used abroad in anti-drug missions. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
  1. compel
  2. violate
  3. manpower
  4. pressure
  5. power
  6. effectiveness
  7. impact
  8. violence
Verb
  • Yet, the gravity of our district’s challenges and the content of the Denver Post editorial from September 28, 2025, compel us to speak out.
    — Elaine Gantz Berman, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Pro-housing groups saw CEQA as a tool development opponents were using to delay or kill projects and that construction unions were misusing to compel developers to employ their members.
    — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of compel
Verb
  • In summer 2024, another complaint focused on the classified documents case, accusing the FBI of violating his privacy with the Mar-a-Lago raid and the DOJ of malicious prosecution.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The Kelly administration has refused to comply, contending that doing so would be a privacy breach that violates state and federal law because the USDA has indicated the data could be shared with outside groups.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Definition of violate
Noun
  • Reuters But the group will have little trouble reconstituting its manpower, Eiland said, and security officials believe Hamas has been recruiting new fighters throughout the war even under fire.
    — Matt Bradley, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Given the crises of manpower, resources and morale looming over Ukraine in May, this is startling, and potentially flips the dynamics of the months ahead.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Definition of manpower
Noun
  • As Monaco ramped up the second-half pressure, with Spurs seemingly having no answer for the pace and fervour with which the Ligue 1 side attacked Frank’s defence from all angles, Netherlands international Teze looked set to break the deadlock.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Some of Microsoft’s AI competitors are facing intense pressure to keep young users safe on their platforms.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • Despite the star power in the stands, the Dodgers lost 6-1, meaning the Blue Jays tied the series.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Both outcomes might also blunt the risk of further great-power escalation in this deeply chaotic geopolitical time.
    — Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of power
Noun
  • The effectiveness of eBird also demonstrates how much wild birds are loved.
    — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • This flexibility enhances efficiency and effectiveness across multiple scenarios, from verifying and containing early-stage fires in remote terrain to supporting large-scale firefighting and cold trailing efforts on major incidents.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of effectiveness
Noun
  • The organization’s Green Heart Project, which studies the impact of better air quality on heart disease through urban greening, has found that increasing the number of trees and shrubs in an area can create lower levels of a blood marker associated with inflammation.
    — Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Experts bemoan the loneliness epidemic and its impact on youth, mental health, longevity, and chronic pain.
    — Joni Eareckson Tada, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of impact
Noun
  • As Ali and her brother hid under a blanket, violence exploded around them.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Jackson imagined the Shire as idyllic beyond measure — cozy cottages dug into the landscape's gentle green slopes, totally free of the conflict and violence that the saga's Hobbit quartet eventually learn lie just beyond its borders.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of violence

Phrases Containing force

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force
forced
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Cite this Entry

“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on force

Nglish: Translation of force for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about force

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