force

1 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: strength or energy exerted or brought to bear : cause of motion or change : active power
the forces of nature
the motivating force in her life
(2)
capitalized
used with a number to indicate the strength of the wind according to the Beaufort scale
a Force 10 hurricane
b
: moral or mental strength
I was impressed by the force of his character.
c
: capacity to persuade or convince
the force of the argument
2
a
: military strength
b(1)
: a body (as of troops or ships) assigned to a military purpose
a force of 20,000 soldiers
(2)
forces plural : the whole military strength (as of a nation)
c
: a body of persons or things available for a particular end
a labor force
the missile force
d
: an individual or group having the power of effective action
join forces to prevent violence
a force in politics
e
often capitalized : police force
usually used with the
After his military service, he joined the force.
3
: violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing
Those who do not respond to kindness must yield to force.
4
a
: an agency or influence that if applied to a free body results chiefly in an acceleration of the body and sometimes in elastic deformation and other effects
b
: any of the natural influences (such as electromagnetism (see electromagnetism sense 2a), gravity, the strong force, and the weak force) that exist especially between particles and determine the structure of the universe
5
: the quality of conveying impressions intensely in writing or speech
stated the objectives with force
6
baseball : force-out
forceless adjective

force

2 of 2

verb

forced; forcing

transitive verb

1
: to do violence to
especially : rape
2
: to compel by physical, moral, or intellectual means
3
: to make or cause especially through natural or logical necessity
forced to admit my error
the last minute goal forced overtime
4
a
: to press, drive, pass, or effect against resistance or inertia
force your way through
b
: to impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably
force unwanted attentions on a coworker
5
: to achieve or win by strength in struggle or violence: such as
a
: to win one's way into
force a castle
forced the mountain passes
b
: to break open or through
force a lock
6
a
: to raise or accelerate to the utmost
forcing the pace
b
: to produce only with unnatural or unwilling effort
forced a smile
c
: to wrench, strain, or use (language) with marked unnaturalness and lack of ease
7
a
: to hasten the rate of progress or growth of
b
: to bring (plants) to maturity out of the normal season
forcing lilies for Easter
8
: to induce (a particular bid or play by another player) in a card game by some conventional act, play, bid, or response
9
a
: to cause (a runner in baseball) to be put out on a force-out
b
: to cause (a run) to be scored in baseball by giving a base on balls when the bases are full
forcer noun
Phrases
in force
1
: in great numbers
picnickers were out in force
2
: valid, operative
the ban remains in force
force one's hand
: to cause one to act precipitously : force one to reveal one's purpose or intention
Choose the Right Synonym for force

Noun

power, force, energy, strength, might mean the ability to exert effort.

power may imply latent or exerted physical, mental, or spiritual ability to act or be acted upon.

the awesome power of flowing water

force implies the actual effective exercise of power.

used enough force to push the door open

energy applies to power expended or capable of being transformed into work.

a worker with boundless energy

strength applies to the quality or property of a person or thing that makes possible the exertion of force or the withstanding of strain, pressure, or attack.

use weight training to build your strength

might implies great or overwhelming power or strength.

the belief that might makes right

Verb

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige 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

compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

Examples of force in a Sentence

Noun The front of the car took the full force of the collision. instruments used to measure the force of the wind The police were accused of using excessive force when they made the arrest. We discourage the use of force. He used brute force to open the door. I was impressed by the force of her personality. Verb They forced us to work long hours without pay. The flooding forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes. After seeing the evidence, I was forced to admit my error. I am forced to conclude that more funding will be necessary. The pilot was forced to land when one of the plane's engines caught fire. The scandal forced his resignation. Lack of time may eventually force a compromise. They are trying to force a vote on this issue. The runner was forced out of bounds. Their car was forced off the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Take control: Sign up for The Tech Friend newsletter to get straight talk and advice on how to make your tech a force for good. Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Less than a week after Ukrainian forces withdrew from the eastern town of Avdiivka, the first residents there had applied for Russian passports, Volk said. Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Israeli forces launched another raid on the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip early Monday on claims that Hamas terrorists regrouped there and fired attacks from inside the compound. Landon Mion, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024 As daylight broke on Sept. 13, 1847, the American forces charged Chapultepec Castle, the citadel securing Mexico City. Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 What happens when the promise of a better life has been hijacked by insidious political forces? Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024 While the remains did not include the head, the coroner concluded that the most likely mechanisms of death were blunt force, gunshot or sharp force trauma to the head/neck or asphyxia. Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 Bloodshed surrounding an aid convoy on Feb. 29 killed 118 Palestinians in northern Gaza, when the Israeli military said its forces fired at people in the crowd who were advancing toward them and that tanks fired warning shots to disperse them. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024 The front line: The Washington Post has mapped out the 600-mile front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Tyler Pager, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024
Verb
Or David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs, who for much of 2023 endured rumors he may be forced to leave the storied investment bank. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024 Only five of Gambia’s 58 lawmakers are women, meaning men are spearheading a discussion on a practice that is forced on young girls. Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024 The pandemic spawned unprecedented labor shortages, forcing employers to beef up pay and benefits, and spurring workers to jump ship. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 In 2017, Super Micro’s chief financial officer and one of its co-founders stepped down after an internal audit forced revisions of the company’s previous financial statements. William Gavin, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Tanaka films this tale of love and death with a confrontational, but also tender, frankness regarding women’s bodies, desires, and the distinctness of their art in a society that forces them into narrow attitudes and ways of life—a distinctness reflected in Tanaka’s bold cinematic style. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024 Our test Ocean was plagued with squeaky pedals, an inoperative California mode (where the EV drops all its windows save the windscreen) forcing a switch in car mid-test, and poor handling that was supposedly to be fixed with a software update. Jeremy White, WIRED, 18 Mar. 2024 Hours before showtime, the Smoothie King Center released a statement claiming that due to an illness, Minaj had been forced to postpone the show to a later date on doctor’s orders. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024 Everything is so fast, and the ragas really anchor you and force you to live in that moment. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'force.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *fortia, from Latin fortis strong

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of force was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near force

Cite this Entry

“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/force. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

force

1 of 2 noun
ˈfō(ə)rs How to pronounce force (audio)
ˈfȯ(ə)rs
1
a
: strength or energy put forth : active power
forces of nature
b
: capacity to persuade or convince
the force of this argument
c
: the state of existing and being enforced : effect
that law is still in force
2
: a group of persons trained and available for action
a police force
the nation's labor force
3
: violence or power used on a person or thing
open a door by force
4
: an influence (as a push or pull) that tends to produce a change in the speed or direction of motion of something
the force of gravity
forceless adjective

force

2 of 2 verb
forced; forcing
1
: to make (as a person) do something
forced them to work
2
a
: to get or make by using force
forced their way into the room
b
: to break open or through
force a lock
3
: to produce with effort
forced a weak smile
4
: to speed up the development of
force flowers
forcer noun

Medical Definition

force

1 of 2 noun
: an agency or influence that if applied to a free body results chiefly in an acceleration of the body and sometimes in elastic deformation and other effects

forcé

2 of 2

Legal Definition

force

1 of 2 noun
1
: a cause of motion, activity, or change
intervening force
: a force that acts after another's negligent act or omission has occurred and that causes injury to another : intervening cause at cause
irresistible force
: an unforeseeable event especially that prevents performance of an obligation under a contract : force majeure
2
: a body of persons available for a particular end
the labor force
specifically : police force
usually used with the
3
: violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing
constructive force
: the use of threats or intimidation for the purpose of gaining control over or preventing resistance from another
deadly force
: force that is intended to cause or that carries a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury compare nondeadly force in this entry

Note: As a general rule, deadly force may be used without incurring criminal or tort liability when one reasonably believes that one's life or safety is in danger. In some cases, a person's unreasonable belief in the need for deadly force has been used to justify reducing a charge of murder to voluntary manslaughter. Additionally, a police officer is generally justified in using deadly force to prevent the escape of a suspect who threatens the officer or who the officer has probable cause to believe has committed a violent crime.

lawful force
: force that is considered justified under the law and does not create criminal or tort liability compare unlawful force in this entry
moderate force \ ˈmä-​də-​rət-​ \
: nondeadly force in this entry
nondeadly force
: force that is intended to cause minor bodily injury
also : a threat (as by the brandishing of a gun) to use deadly force

called also moderate force

compare deadly force in this entry
reasonable force
: Lawful force that is reasonably necessary to accomplish a particular end (as preventing theft of one's property)
unlawful force
: force that is not justified under the law and therefore is considered a tort or crime or both compare lawful force in this entry

force

2 of 2 transitive verb
forced; forcing
1
a
: to compel by physical means often against resistance
forced him into the car
b
: to break open or through
forced the door
see also forcible entry
2
: to impose or require by law see also elective share, forced heir at heir, forced sale at sale

More from Merriam-Webster on force

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!