1
as in compels
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
2
as in violates
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
1
as in workforces
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 pressures
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 police
a body of officers of the law
the police detective retired after 23 years on the force
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in supplies
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 forces
American-Statesman Staff, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
After hours of scrutiny, debate and amendments, the council voted 9-6 to approve a compromise resolution that forces the city to pursue those two tracks and bars consultants that recently assessed the building’s conditions bidding on contracts related to the project.
—Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
While her son is covered by her husband’s better health plan, Debra Williams, a 20-year teacher at Creative Connections Academy said that the district forces her to take its lower quality, more expensive insurance.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026
That approach forces the United States, Israel, and their partners to continue intercepting incoming threats while also carrying out offensive strikes, steadily consuming their own munitions.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
This winter, Radcliffe stars in Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man Broadway production that forces Radcliffe’s character to make a numbered list of reasons to keep living, night after night after night.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
The story follows Craig’s return to Ukraine to retrieve his brother’s body, which forces him to confront survivor’s guilt, unresolved childhood trauma, and the cost of choosing life over legacy.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
How to protect power and fish Lake Powell’s low water level essentially forces the government to choose among economic interests and its legal responsibility to protect Grand Canyon’s environment.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 28 Feb. 2026
That dip forces Ray’s arm to hike up, robbing him of his ability to keep his shoulders square.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
American air campaigns in the former Yugoslavia and in Libya brought down regimes without the involvement of American ground forces.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
While the pop stars joining forces received plenty of online attention and streams, the song’s been getting a bit of an unexpected bump as of late.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026
Instead, much of Iraq rose up to expel US ground forces, and the war dragged on for eight years.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
This week, Afghanistan said its forces had killed 150 Pakistani soldiers since the fighting began, while 28 Afghan troops were killed.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The impact of Trump joining forces with Israel last weekend to launch surprise strikes on Iran and the widening war that has since emerged prompted some to change their position.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Lai, an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily, was found guilty in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Over the past decades, thanks to new precision instruments and advanced techniques that can image cells at high resolution, measure forces, and manipulate tissues, there has been a resurgence in mechanobiology, the study of physical forces in cells and tissues.
—Clare Watson, Quanta Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
Lee forces a foul call after a drive to the rim.
—American-Statesman Staff, Austin American Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
After hours of scrutiny, debate and amendments, the council voted 9-6 to approve a compromise resolution that forces the city to pursue those two tracks and bars consultants that recently assessed the building’s conditions bidding on contracts related to the project.
—Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026
While her son is covered by her husband’s better health plan, Debra Williams, a 20-year teacher at Creative Connections Academy said that the district forces her to take its lower quality, more expensive insurance.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026
That approach forces the United States, Israel, and their partners to continue intercepting incoming threats while also carrying out offensive strikes, steadily consuming their own munitions.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Mar. 2026
This winter, Radcliffe stars in Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man Broadway production that forces Radcliffe’s character to make a numbered list of reasons to keep living, night after night after night.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
The story follows Craig’s return to Ukraine to retrieve his brother’s body, which forces him to confront survivor’s guilt, unresolved childhood trauma, and the cost of choosing life over legacy.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
How to protect power and fish Lake Powell’s low water level essentially forces the government to choose among economic interests and its legal responsibility to protect Grand Canyon’s environment.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 28 Feb. 2026
That dip forces Ray’s arm to hike up, robbing him of his ability to keep his shoulders square.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
The Defense Ministry said four drones were fired by Iran toward Nakhchivan, and while one was disabled by Azerbaijani forces, the others targeted civilian facilities -- including a school where classes were underway.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
American air campaigns in the former Yugoslavia and in Libya brought down regimes without the involvement of American ground forces.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
While the pop stars joining forces received plenty of online attention and streams, the song’s been getting a bit of an unexpected bump as of late.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 6 Mar. 2026
Instead, much of Iraq rose up to expel US ground forces, and the war dragged on for eight years.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
This week, Afghanistan said its forces had killed 150 Pakistani soldiers since the fighting began, while 28 Afghan troops were killed.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The impact of Trump joining forces with Israel last weekend to launch surprise strikes on Iran and the widening war that has since emerged prompted some to change their position.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Lai, an outspoken critic of China’s ruling Communist Party who founded the now-defunct Apple Daily, was found guilty in December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles.
—ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Over the past decades, thanks to new precision instruments and advanced techniques that can image cells at high resolution, measure forces, and manipulate tissues, there has been a resurgence in mechanobiology, the study of physical forces in cells and tissues.
—Clare Watson, Quanta Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forces
Verb
-
Personality is now a big part of what compels buyers to choose a home; agents increasingly hear buyers asking for character and uniqueness over recent design styles.—
Mary Grace Granados
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The music alone of this collection is a pleasure, but the voice compels.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The complaint requested that the judge find the administration’s policy violates the First and Fifth Amendments and bar it from being implemented.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The attack on the oil depots could be construed as chemical warfare, which violates international law, because the aggressors likely knew the hazards the civilians who live in Tehran would face, Cleetus said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, Conger finds that what’s regarded as totally transformative technology is often getting trotted out as a ruse for cuts to bloated workforces that had to happen anyway, or as a wager on the miracles to come.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
For The Times) Tech companies such as EBay, Meta, Google, Autodesk, Pinterest, Salesforce and others have been shrinking their workforces.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Raj Patel, a research professor at the University of Texas, also warned that fertilizer disruptions linked to the conflict could amplify global food pressures through several channels simultaneously.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
-
On the flip side, there’s the risk that a production could cast someone who might not be adequately prepared or equipped to handle the pressures of a major onscreen role.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Liege police said that the blast outside the synagogue happened in the early hours of Monday morning.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The victim in the vehicle told police that the moped had failed to stop at a stop sign, crashing into her car, and leading her to lose control of her vehicle.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The two teenagers had brought knives, plastic bags, and other supplies from Rachel’s home before driving to a remote area near the Pennsylvania border.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The family sells possessions for cash, purchases supplies to continue onward, hires a driver but can’t afford to be driven the full distance.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The girl vomited and went to lie down where Marino allegedly rapes her, the prosecutor added.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The two have always had an uneasy relationship, but in the series' first episode, Constance’s son Willem (Toby Hemingway) rapes Fiona’s daughter Dahlia (Diana Silvers), and is murdered by the Nolan family because of it.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
4 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forces. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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