force majeure

noun

force ma·​jeure ˌfȯrs-mä-ˈzhər 

-mə-

plural force majeures

1

: superior or irresistible force

… the Prussian army had to yield to the force majeure of Napoleon.

—Oliver August

2

a

: an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled compare act of god

The contest’s rules state that the competition can be moved in the event of a force majeure, such as an ongoing war.

—Louis Chilton

Check your flight status before you leave for then airport. Flights canceled due to force majeure mean the airlines aren’t required to provide hotel or food.

—Tom Parsons

b

: the state or an instance of being unable to fulfill an agreement due to such an event or effect

… declared force majeure and indefinitely halted operations …

—Chemical & Engineering News

… natural gas that was never delivered due to force majeures caused by permitting problems and social conflicts.

—Amy Stillman

3

or force majeure clause plural force majeure clauses : a clause in an agreement that excuses performance if an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled (such as war or extreme weather) occurs

… invoked force majeure, a legal provision that freed it from legal liabilities because it was unable to meet its contractual obligations due to the war.

—Raja Abdulrahim

… some bottlers for … olive oil have already pointed to force majeure clauses in their contracts to allow them to reduce delivery quantities or raise prices.

—Sarah Butler

Did you know?

Force majeure translates literally from French as superior force. In English, the term is often used in line with its literal French meaning, but it has other uses as well, including one that has roots in a principle of French law. In business circles, "force majeure" describes those uncontrollable events (such as war, labor stoppages, or extreme weather) that are not the fault of any party and that make it difficult or impossible to carry out normal business. A company may insert a force majeure clause into a contract to absolve itself from liability in the event it cannot fulfill the terms of a contract (or if attempting to do so will result in loss or damage of goods) for reasons beyond its control.

Examples of force majeure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stock selling accelerated Friday into the close after Reuters reported that Iraq had declared force majeure on all oil fields operated by foreign companies. —Zev Fima, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2026

QatarEnergy had declared force majeure on its entire output of LNG, after earlier attacks on its Ras Laffan production hub, which came under fire again on Wednesday. —Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026

Major suppliers will likely declare force majeure and raise prices, following the playbook of the four previous shortages over the past 20 years. —Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2026

Oil prices have spiked above $100 per barrel amid Iranian threats to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and declarations of force majeure by both Kuwait and Bahrain, who argue events beyond their control have impeded their ability to deliver petroleum. —Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, superior force

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for force majeure

• amour
• auteur
• grandeur
• hauteur
• velour
• verdure
• voyeur
• doer
• poor
• poore
• raconteur

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Legal Definition

force majeure

noun

force ma·​jeure ˈfȯrs-ma-ˈzhər, -mȧ-ˈzhœ̅r 

1

: superior or insuperable force

2

: an event (as war, labor strike, or extreme weather) or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled : fortuitous event compare act of god, inevitable accident

Etymology

French, superior force