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
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Recent Examples of force
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Those runs proved useful when Benge dropped a fly ball in the top of the seventh, allowing a run to score for the Yankees, who loaded the bases with no outs, forcing the Mets to go to the bullpen.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
Bolstered by his military campaign in Morocco, Franco went on to lead Nationalist forces to victory in the Spanish Civil War, followed by a near 40-year rule as dictator.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
Their hand is also forced by climate change, war and the accelerating rush for timber and minerals.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Those runs proved useful when Benge dropped a fly ball in the top of the seventh, allowing a run to score for the Yankees, who loaded the bases with no outs, forcing the Mets to go to the bullpen.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2026
Noun
Officials there have said that Iraqi army forces investigated reports of an unauthorized military force in the Nukhaib desert -- a barren area to the southwest of the cities of Karbala and Najaf -- in early March and came under fire while en route to the location.
—Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
Bolstered by his military campaign in Morocco, Franco went on to lead Nationalist forces to victory in the Spanish Civil War, followed by a near 40-year rule as dictator.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
This being a stringent European new-music gathering, someone in the audience felt compelled to boo the intrusion of conventional harmony.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Campbell, siding with fellow Democrats Spika and Mariano, refused to represent DiZoglio in court to compel the Legislature to comply with the audit.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Over the past three weeks, the collapse of the once-tight bond between two of the most prominent names in AI has been the subject of a high-profile trial in Oakland, California, after Musk sued Altman and OpenAI in 2024 for allegedly violating their commitment to keep OpenAI as a nonprofit.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
For now, Carl still looks like an ethical saint compared to Duncan, who remains committed to violating privacy laws with such brazenness that even the federal government would be moved to pass enforceable regulations against him.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
For investigators, the broader concern is that Russia’s war effort may now depend in part on a transnational manpower pipeline that weaponizes global inequality, drawing economically desperate men from around the world into one of Europe’s deadliest conflicts.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Consistent use of bylines began during the Civil War when Union General Joseph Hooker became enraged over a story that included information about the manpower and location of his Army of the Potomac.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Small-town social pressure could be a useful tool, too.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Zelenskyy vowed to keep pressure on Moscow to make concessions in talks.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Data center projects are likely to migrate to parts of Europe with lower power costs, creating winners and losers across the continent, the experts said.—
April Roach,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
Jeffers flashed his power again, hitting the go-ahead homer Sunday and finishing 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored as the Twins avoided a series sweep.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
However, the study didn’t compare gadusol’s effectiveness to currently available sunscreens.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
18 May 2026
-
Instead, the court ruled that the effectiveness of Missouri’s map was in the hands of Hoskins, the secretary of state, who has the power to decide whether to certify the referendum for the ballot.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Rowles is also making an impact at Marist in flag football.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Not even BriseBois anticipated James, who was signed as a free agent two days into training camp after his draft rights with the Blackhawks expired, would have made such a quick impact.—
Eduardo A. Encina,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The president pressed Nigeria last fall to take more action against terrorism, accusing the country of failing to deal with rampant violence against Christians.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
The project highlights growing international interest in elevated Latin American genre cinema blending political commentary, suspense, violence and social critique.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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