forced

adjective

ˈfȯrst 

1

: compelled by force or necessity : involuntary

a forced landing

2

: done or produced with effort, exertion, or pressure

a forced laugh

forcedly

ˈfȯr-səd-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• required
• compulsory
• incumbent
• mandatory
• necessary

Examples of forced in a Sentence

forced payment of membership dues

wasn't thrilled with the suggestion and so responded with a forced smile

Recent Examples on the Web

Play across the Strike maps with a partner with forced loadouts, only the guns aren’t basic like in the vanilla version of this mode. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

But families torn apart by forced adoptions say that’s not enough. —Yoonjung Seo, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

The advisory said that at least nine professional athletes at the time had been targeted in a rash of forced entries into their homes between September and November, sources told CBS News at the time. —CBS News, 7 June 2025

The 24-year-old played 17 games and registered 12 tackles with a forced fumble. —Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing forced

• forced labor
• forced perspective

Rhymes for forced

• divorced
• endorsed
• enforced
• indorsed
• outsourced
• unforced
• coursed
• gorst
• horsed
• horst
• sourced
• reenforced

Kids Definition

forced

adjective

ˈfō(ə)rst 

ˈfȯ(ə)rst

1

: caused or brought about by force or necessity : involuntary

made a forced landing

2

: done or produced with effort

a forced laugh