tour de force

noun

plural tours de force ˌtu̇r-də-ˈfȯrs How to pronounce tour de force (audio)
Synonyms of tour de forcenext
: a feat or display of strength, skill, or ingenuity
the movie is a comic tour de force

Examples of tour de force in a Sentence

The book is a tour de force. Her performance in the play was a real tour de force.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 2025 Boston Red Sox were, in many ways, an offensive tour de force. Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 28 Jan. 2026 Key to this is Fiennes’ commando performance, a tour de force with so few f*cks given that the film’s astonishing, electrifying climax could put him back into the awards conversation with a part that couldn’t be farther away from Conclave’s Cardinal Thomas. Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026 But when his murder is revealed at breakfast, Candiace (who was hoping and praying for his death) delivers a tour de force performance. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026 The all-new JPOD turns an everyday Jeep Wrangler into an all-out tour de force of overland exploration. New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tour de force

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tour de force was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tour de force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tour%20de%20force. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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!