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
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Recent Examples of force
Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
Without the subsidies, average premiums will more than double, forcing some Americans to abandon coverage and pay out of pocket for medical care.
—Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The indiscriminate use of force, including tear gas, has become dangerously normalized by our government.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
James discovers that all of his family’s money is about to disappear and is forced to marry Theo for her dowry.
—Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
Without the subsidies, average premiums will more than double, forcing some Americans to abandon coverage and pay out of pocket for medical care.
—Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
Rodríguez is a hard-line leftist with deeply anti-American views learned from her father, a Marxist guerrilla commander who died at the hands of Venezuelan security forces.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The indiscriminate use of force, including tear gas, has become dangerously normalized by our government.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
Unlike last April, when the Dolphins seemingly felt compelled to address defensive line after ignoring it in free agency, Miami should be able to enter April’s NFL Draft with a more open-minded approach.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In the late 18th century, just a few decades before Mary Shelley wrote her science fiction masterpiece, the Italian surgeon Luigi Galvani jolted the scientific community with experiments that used metal and electricity to compel disembodied frog legs to kick.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In October 2025, Beckerink pleaded no contest to domestic violence charges in connection to two incidents at Tracey's home in New Buffalo, Michigan, as well as one count of contempt for violating his bond, and was sentenced to 93 days in jail.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The lawsuit argues the freeze violated federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional limits on executive power and how Congress appropriates funds.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With the city facing a budget crunch, police officials and union leaders have warned that less resources and manpower risks causing an uptick in crime.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
While Russian forces are seen to have an advantage on the battlefield, not least in terms of manpower, and are making incremental progress in eastern Ukraine, a ceasefire is not seen to be in Russia’s interests.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The development comes after multiple prosecutors in Minnesota resigned amid pressure from the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into Good's wife, multiple news outlets reported.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Fuel and water are fed into the chamber, creating a self-sustaining cycle that maintains high pressure during combustion.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The third down against the Chiefs shows all three at work and perhaps provided a blueprint for how Denver can maximize Nix’s effectiveness in the postseason.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
-
It was used with extreme effectiveness by Adolf Hitler during the 1930s and continued until his death by suicide in 1945.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The bottle is small, easy to pack, and a little goes a long way—proof that sometimes even the smallest things have a big impact.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The economic cost is caused by losses in the fishing industry, damage to coastal communities and impacts to systems that help fortify those communities, like mangroves and reefs.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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