1
as in to compel
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in manpower
a body of persons at work or available for work
the entire force of the shipyard will be needed to get this government order done on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
a cruel tyrant who disbanded the parliament and ruled by force
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in power
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task
got through the college board exams by sheer force of will
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in effectiveness
the capacity to persuade
surely you were influenced by the force of his arguments?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect
expressed the full force of her frustration with her son for his reckless behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in violence
the use of brute strength to cause harm to a person or property
the officer threatened to resort to force if the suspect did not surrender
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
as in supply
the number of individuals or amount of something available at any given time
the great debate during the Cold War was whether the nation's missile force was adequate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of force
Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
As result, consumers hoard their money instead of spending it, forcing businesses to trim wages, staff and prices to remain afloat.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Near the Outer Banks, the region could see gusts up to 70 mph, approaching hurricane-force winds, albeit with less snow but with warnings for coastal flooding.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
Arenas made three of nine shots for nine points and fouled four times, forcing him to miss most of the end of the game.
—Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
As result, consumers hoard their money instead of spending it, forcing businesses to trim wages, staff and prices to remain afloat.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
Originally conceived in the late 1950s as an ambitious shopping mall, the project was never completed and was later repurposed by security forces.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Near the Outer Banks, the region could see gusts up to 70 mph, approaching hurricane-force winds, albeit with less snow but with warnings for coastal flooding.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
Last week, the plaintiffs filed a motion seeking to compel production of an unredacted Ohio State Medical Board file concerning its investigation into Strauss that resulted in the suspension of his clinical privileges.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Leaders compelled members to participate in expensive rituals, make lavish donations, and provide the Church with free labor.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The probe will examine whether Department of Homeland Security officers violated the law in shooting the 37-year-old ICU nurse.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
-
In 2024, the court said fining or jailing someone for sleeping outside when there are no available shelter beds doesn’t violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Facing huge manpower pressures as its war in Ukraine nears the four-year mark, Russia actively promotes the participation of African recruits in its army as part of a broader PR narrative.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
In Nassau County, Floral Park Center Fire Department closed weeks ago, while other departments are pooling manpower to get firetrucks and ambulances out the door.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With similar pressures and temperatures to those found at Earth’s surface, Venus, up above its cloud-tops, might already be home to simple but hardy microbial life forms.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Beijing is well known for turning to a playbook of economic countermeasures to exert pressure.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The power of the crop; or, when bad taste comes all the way back around to being good taste.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Nebraska law says that while in active service of the state, or at the direction of the governor, National Guard members are peace officers with power to prevent crime, arrest suspects, and execute the process of law.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The state spent more than $20 billion without uniform standards to measure effectiveness.—
Julie Watts,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Demonstrating the effectiveness of their tactical setup without the ball, Villa have only made more interceptions and ball recoveries in one other match this season.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Efforts to mitigate consumption and reduce the environmental impact of the world’s IT infrastructure include developing more energy-efficient hardware, data center infrastructure, and exploring more sustainable computing methods.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
-
His service and sacrifice will not be forgotten, and his impact on the Roseville community will be felt for years to come.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The designation has since been renewed multiple times as the country faces a host of crises, including widespread violence by armed gangs, food insecurity, displacement and a leadership vacuum after the president was assassinated in 2021.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Less than lethal has been authorized due to the violence against officers.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
