1
as in required
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
forced payment of membership dues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strained
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
wasn't thrilled with the suggestion and so responded with a forced smile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unwilling
not made or done willingly or by choice
participation in the program was forced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the public outcry from the scandal forced the mayor to resign road construction forced them to take an alternate route
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violated
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was accused of forcing a woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forced
Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
The acronym is so reverse-engineered and forced.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2025
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
They are forced to navigate this while also avoiding the operational complexity that has historically plagued enterprise storage.
—Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forced
Adjective
As for the enslavement of my African ancestors, who literally built the economic infrastructure of America with forced, free labor, from 1619 to 1865—246 years—this section of the American journey was reduced to mere paragraphs.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
The acronym is so reverse-engineered and forced.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Yankees will be forced to invest more into Bellinger to keep him around, or move onto someone else.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
They are forced to navigate this while also avoiding the operational complexity that has historically plagued enterprise storage.
—Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forced
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forced
Adjective
-
Hurdles have included problems obtaining required permits from the city council, complaints from residents about noise and light pollution, reports of workers’ rights not being respected by local authorities, and suppliers going bankrupt.—
Pol Ballus,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Beyond reading the college’s brochures and website, Selingo encourages prospective students to ask current students how helpful the career offices are, what their advisors are like and how accessible required courses are.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the main challenges facing the economy is the strained relationship between Beijing and Washington as disputes over technology and geopolitics mount.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Photothek via Getty Images Against the backdrop of a strained labour market, many workers feel obliged to overperform.—
Alliance Manchester Business School,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Years of underinvestment, rising costs, and a board unwilling to confront structural issues have destroyed value.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The church’s attorneys, for their part, said in their latest filing that the victims’ side appears unwilling to negotiate.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At some point in the near future, a government will likely be compelled to impose unpopular austerity measures and address the deficits in the pension system.—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Inclusion in the index typically provides a structural advantage to stocks, as passive funds and ETFs that track the benchmark are compelled to purchase shares.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Wake County schools violated policy when staff did not address the effects of bullying on Danielle, said an April 2024 letter from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.—
Fred Clasen-Kelly,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Argentina and other countries under Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) also have protections that may be violated by tariffs, Comprés said.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The new subject remains non-compulsory, but Screen Scotland hopes the appetite shown in pilots will drive wide adoption.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The 90-day window for lodging a challenge is tight, but veto referendums have been successful in Missouri as recently as 2017, when labor unions successfully organized to defeat a right-to-work law that would have banned compulsory union fees.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Whose idea was this, and what kinds of settler-colonial relations does this mock holdup invert?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Sweater My grandmother also purchased this 100 percent cashmere mock-neck sweater to have on hand in case the weather requires an extra layer.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Investigators allege that Hernandez coerced at least five minors into participating in the production of child pornography on at least seven occasions, consistent with the seven charges.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Many of the women who spoke Monday addressed that claim directly, saying they were tricked and coerced from the start and that the deceit went far beyond one lie about where the video would be distributed.—
Alex Riggins,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forced. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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