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
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 May 2025
That gives you a puncher’s chance against a team that runs on makes and misses and forces defensive miscues by sheer virtue of its pace of play.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 29 May 2025
Miles Clements Partner, Accel Key Deals: Cursor, Laravel, Linear, Remote
Miles Clements joined Accel in 2009 as the firm’s first associate and has since become a driving force behind Accel’s growth strategy, helping to lead that fund.
—Truebridge Capital, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
Set in the winter of 1591, the play unfolds across three clandestine meetings where the rival playwrights are forced into creative collaboration amid a climate of conspiracy and paranoia.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 May 2025
That gives you a puncher’s chance against a team that runs on makes and misses and forces defensive miscues by sheer virtue of its pace of play.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
Noun
Officials said Klinghoffer was driving a black 2022 GMC Yukon, and confirmed that Sanchez's cause of death was blunt force trauma.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 29 May 2025
Miles Clements Partner, Accel Key Deals: Cursor, Laravel, Linear, Remote
Miles Clements joined Accel in 2009 as the firm’s first associate and has since become a driving force behind Accel’s growth strategy, helping to lead that fund.
—Truebridge Capital, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
In a conversation with Harvard Business School, Sam Altman observes that the rise of AI will compel us to rethink jobs and society.—
Arafat Kabir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
So when California sets new emission standards – and other states follow – the auto industry is compelled to adopt them.—
Francine Kiefer,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
In its petition, the questions presented by CCB were: Does a state violate the First Amendment’s Religion Clauses by denying a religious organization an otherwise-available tax exemption because the organization does not meet the state’s criteria for religious behavior?—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
Kansas City’s prosecutor also filed charges against Abarca in municipal court Wednesday, accusing Abarca of knowingly violating the protective order by failing to return the boy to Garcia as of Monday night.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
But paired with $9 trillion in refinancing pressure, the incentives start to warp.—
Jemma Green,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
One of the ways that happened, Lam said, came in the form of U.S. political pressure on foreign governments or private industry to negotiate mutually beneficial agreements between Indigenous peoples and their governments.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
But that, in itself, speaks to the power of acknowledging reality onscreen — even in science-fiction.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 May 2025
-
If the Heat doesn’t extend that qualifying offer, Mitchell would become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and Miami would lose the power to always have an opportunity match outside offers.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Newsweek the most obvious impact from the smoke would be hazy skies, which could contribute to visually beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the affected areas.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
-
The turtle is reportedly doing fine and the golf ball impact doesn’t seem to have caused long-term consequences besides a pretty unique scar.—
Margherita Bassi,
Popular Science,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
In the wake of this violence, California's feckless Democrat leaders have completely abdicated their responsibility to protect their citizens.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 June 2025
-
Trump administration officials have seized on the isolated incidents of violence to suggest wide parts of L.A. are out of control.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Officers located a rifle found underneath a car and multiple shell casings were also found on the block, according to a police report.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
-
The interior ministry’s provisional assessment as of Sunday morning was that 559 people had been arrested, including 491 in Paris, which led to 320 people being placed in police custody, 254 of them in Paris.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
The problem is especially pronounced in Arizona’s rural areas, many of which don’t have groundwater regulations, and little backup supply from rivers.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
-
With a state-of-the-art new factory and a Honda works engine supply arriving from 2026, the feeling has long been that Aston’s foundations are coming together.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share