1
as in compels
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violates
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
1
as in workforces
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pressures
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 police
a body of officers of the law
the police detective retired after 23 years on the force
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in supplies
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forces
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Moving on, however, becomes a problem when a mysterious unseen force traps and forces them to relive past traumas together in this supernatural soap opera.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Being in Abby’s house, however, forces Joanne to confront one of her worst qualities.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Soon, a crisis forces Tori into a deadly cat and mouse game where her despair gives way to defiance as guns are pointed and hands are bloodied.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Transforming multiple health behaviors at once is really hard for humans unless a major health event like a heart attack or diabetes diagnosis forces them to do so.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
This mechanism forces the cells to irreversibly differentiate and die off—leading to hair graying.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
This forces the liquid through a bidirectional turbine that drives a generator.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Goronych and his group are now integrated into the 14th regiment of Ukraine’s special operations forces, who spoke with CNN about their work.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
In 1999, a nearly three-month NATO bombing campaign ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
There would be a symbolic deployment of international forces, and a kind of coördination system between Israel, the United States, and other international forces about any violations of the ceasefire.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
The buildup in forces comes after a series of additional strikes against vessels the administration claims are carrying drugs.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
In the demonstration, however, there are dissipative forces, and so the rolling object really will fall deeper and deeper into this potential well.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Protest organizers have trained thousands in de-escalation techniques and have promised the day will be safe, even as political rhetoric characterizes demonstrators as being aligned with terrorist forces.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Zelenskyy had been seeking the Tomahawks, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
—Chris Megerian, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
Some of the material will stay in the coma, while the rest will fall into the comet's tail after pressure from the sun — known as the solar wind — forces it there.
—Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Moving on, however, becomes a problem when a mysterious unseen force traps and forces them to relive past traumas together in this supernatural soap opera.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Being in Abby’s house, however, forces Joanne to confront one of her worst qualities.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
Soon, a crisis forces Tori into a deadly cat and mouse game where her despair gives way to defiance as guns are pointed and hands are bloodied.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
When her rival, Poot’s Thea, arrives underdressed, Hedda forces her into a hideous frock with fussy bows and an ungainly skirt.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Transforming multiple health behaviors at once is really hard for humans unless a major health event like a heart attack or diabetes diagnosis forces them to do so.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
This mechanism forces the cells to irreversibly differentiate and die off—leading to hair graying.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
This forces the liquid through a bidirectional turbine that drives a generator.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
In 2023, Kim and North joined forces for another mother-daughter costume, this time dressing as characters from the rom-com Clueless.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Goronych and his group are now integrated into the 14th regiment of Ukraine’s special operations forces, who spoke with CNN about their work.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
In 1999, a nearly three-month NATO bombing campaign ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo.
—Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
There would be a symbolic deployment of international forces, and a kind of coördination system between Israel, the United States, and other international forces about any violations of the ceasefire.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
The buildup in forces comes after a series of additional strikes against vessels the administration claims are carrying drugs.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
In the demonstration, however, there are dissipative forces, and so the rolling object really will fall deeper and deeper into this potential well.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Protest organizers have trained thousands in de-escalation techniques and have promised the day will be safe, even as political rhetoric characterizes demonstrators as being aligned with terrorist forces.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Zelenskyy had been seeking the Tomahawks, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory and target key military sites, energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
—Chris Megerian, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forces
Verb
-
Economic change also compels extra rethinking.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
-
And for me, that is the fuel that compels this need to create a new era of truth and justice.—
Kurt Streeter,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The committee voted to ask Attorney General Josh Kaul to opine on whether grooming falls under the statute related to immoral conduct, which allows DPI to revoke a license if an educator violates it.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Critics, including legal scholars and lawmakers, argue the campaign violates international law by targeting civilians without due process.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Part of the disruption stems from the fact that large tech firms are still recalibrating their workforces after years of pandemic-era hiring.—
Michelle Castillo,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
-
These Midwestern states have smaller federal workforces and less dependence on federal contracts.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Caliendo handled the rest of the game, allowing no quarterback pressures on 32 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
-
But Mamdani’s rise, Piker says, has already exposed the deeper pressures facing the party in 2025.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
First responders were called after Scholtes' wife arrived home three hours after Scholtes and found their daughter inside the vehicle, according to a police report.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
West Memphis police took over the pursuit with assistance from state troopers, the release says.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Towns stretching out northwest from Pamukkale along a geological fault line tap into increasingly hotter supplies of steam and water surging up from underground.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Over the past year, Ukraine dispatched thousands of wheeled ground robots to its frontline military units to help deliver supplies, evacuate the wounded and, in some cases, attack the intruding Russians troops and push them out without risking the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While China often threatens and coerces other countries, such as in disputes with South Korea and Australia, its actions are often triggered by events that China feels directly threaten its core interests.—
David C. Kang,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.—
Quispe López,
Them.,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lanier rapes Forsythe during a job interview, which O’Brien recounts in upsetting, unwavering detail.—
Jared Sullivan,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2024
-
Donald treats Ivana with similar contempt, and then rapes her.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Forces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forces. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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