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
Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
In the face of the enrollment cliff, the NCAA is forcing its members to turn away student-athletes that otherwise academically qualify.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 June 2025
Guy Lawson, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
The weak force—the force that’s responsible for radioactive decay—is felt only by left-handed particles.
—Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
In fact, one of those one-off events was the host of one of the coolest moments in Charlotte’s sports history — when a 16-year-old Charlotte FC academy player in Brian Romero forced a handball in the box in the waning minutes of the contest, then overtime, then a shootout and then a win.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
In the face of the enrollment cliff, the NCAA is forcing its members to turn away student-athletes that otherwise academically qualify.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 June 2025
Noun
The same is true for the NCAA insisting that students don’t qualify as employees of the colleges, despite the full-time daily grind of most players; colleges thereby save the vast expense of entering into an actual commercial relationship with their work force.
—Guy Lawson, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
The weak force—the force that’s responsible for radioactive decay—is felt only by left-handed particles.
—Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
Female clients of mine have also reported feeling compelled to embrace more traditionally feminine roles.—
Jerry Colonna,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
However, the Supreme Court ruled that lawsuits to compel states to enforce Medicaid law—a federal statute—aren’t valid.—
Essence,
Essence,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Earlier in the week, perhaps the most notable setback was a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian that a cap on health care provider taxes, which is projected to save billions of dollars in federal Medicaid spending, violated the Senate’s Byrd Rule.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
29 June 2025
-
The Senate parliamentarian had ruled that these provisions governing current student loan borrowers violated senate reconciliation rules.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
-
Its assessments will consider a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures, and financial and international developments.—
Rohit Arora,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Seattle put the pressure on Jan Oblak and his defense, forcing the Slovenian into a few saves while sending more attempts just beyond the frame of goal.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions.—
David Hudnall,
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2025
-
Why Tacit Knowledge Often Isn't Shared Despite its power, tacit knowledge rarely flows freely.—
Wayne Yu,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Noun
-
This phrase has a clear intent and a violent legacy, and its impact is not theoretical.—
Lisa Katz,
New York Daily News,
22 June 2025
-
As the impact of the strikes was still being assessed Sunday, European and Gulf leaders appeared united in calls for diplomacy and restraint, while Iran’s longtime allies, China and Russia, criticized the aerial assault as a gross escalation that could lead to further war.—
Claire Cameron,
semafor.com,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
The mayor has also called for peaceful protests and condemned any violence in reaction to immigration initiatives set in motion by the White House.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
-
The inclusion of Haiti in the U.N.’s report came after lobbying that what was occurring inside the country was more than just mere gang violence.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Manchester police alleged that Belfield hatched the plan to attack Campbell and led Reece Steven, Steven Cleworth, and Campbell’s ex-wife Coleen Campbell in carrying out the attack.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
25 June 2025
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It was later confirmed that French police had tracked the ransom trail and freed the victim from a trunk where he’d been held for 58 hours.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Closing the Strait of Hormuz One option that would have massive global consequences would be to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which more than 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies pass daily.—
Ellen Mitchell,
The Hill,
24 June 2025
-
While the nation’s food supply faces all sorts of threats, from diseases to tariffs to climate change, we are now faced with what can happen when the food supply is attacked by hackers, and not by directly targeting stores’ systems.—
Louis Biscotti,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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