force of will

noun phrase

: ability to continue trying despite difficulties : determination
She succeeded by/through sheer force of will.

Examples of force of will in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Govan, through sheer force of will, has decided to rip up the entire idea of what a museum can be. Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026 Khamenei staved off that adjustment for nearly four decades through force of will, brutality, and the conviction that bending would mean breaking. Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026 There are a handful of hilarious scenes in the first four episodes — full scenes, not just a funny line here or a cute moment there — that Harbour sparks through sheer force of will. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026 Armed with beauty, daring/hustle and sheer force of will/unwavering ambition, Undine battles an entrenched elite, fearlessly courting controversy, until love and fortune align. Justin Kroll, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026 He is used to overcoming the odds and helping drag his teams over the line through sheer force of will. Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025 Nonetheless, some 120,000 Mint Juleps are consumed across two sunny days at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby, proving that some cocktails can become refreshing daytime summer sippers just by sheer force of will, and a little crushed ice. Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025 On the title track, for instance, the guitar is choppy and churning, and the horn is twisting and relentless, and the music seems to be propelled through force of will. Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025 No one can control the weather, and USA can’t bring blue skies back by sheer force of will. Alison Herman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Force of will.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/force%20of%20will. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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