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
Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The announcement is the latest effort in the Administration’s apparent attempt to force a rupture between China and the U.S.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2025
Similar scenes played out Friday in Los Angeles, the same day Democratic lawmakers continued seeking answers from ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, about why such a show of force was necessary in South Park.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
Structural instability forced the closing and demolition of a decades-old restaurant at the end of the pier called The Dolphin.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
The announcement is the latest effort in the Administration’s apparent attempt to force a rupture between China and the U.S.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
Noun
As well as raising the use of force, the move puts all officers on notice they could be called into duty ASAP and keeps those already on shifts working.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2025
Similar scenes played out Friday in Los Angeles, the same day Democratic lawmakers continued seeking answers from ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, about why such a show of force was necessary in South Park.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 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
-
The growth indicates that viewers felt compelled to watch sooner rather than later in order to participate in the public discourse about the show.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
The amendment was inspired by neighboring counties, including Sacramento and Placer, that already instituted hefty fines for violating fireworks ordinances.—
Jack Rodriquez-Vars,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
-
But in recent years Maryland has violated the criteria more frequently than any other state.—
Rachel Baye,
NPR,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Getty Images The European startup scene was recently shaken by a LinkedIn debate with some venture capitalists applying pressure on founders to embrace a culture of overwork to compete on a global stage.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
8 June 2025
-
The budgetary pressures caused by $20.5 million in player compensation will cause schools to redirect all available cash.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
While the Marines are expected to avoid direct engagement with demonstrators, the symbolism of active-duty troops patrolling the streets of Los Angeles has reignited deep political tensions and legal debates over the limits of federal power.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
11 June 2025
-
Money becomes power, and without clinical oversight, that power enables harmful behaviors.—
John Samuels,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Those creators and organizations who seize this moment will not only succeed in the technological arena but also create a sustainable socio-economic impact.—
FNU Anupama,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Environmental impacts According to Suiter, Asian needle ants wreak havoc in native environments.—
Stephen Smith,
CBS News,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
The analyst described how Uribe’s experience of violence from a young age defined his politics.—
Alfie Pannell,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
-
Security and extremism experts say a significant factor in driving violence is that many protesters draw no distinction between someone who is Jewish and someone who supports Israel's attacks on Hamas in Gaza, which is home to about 2.1 million Palestinians.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
In addition to several ground beef recalls reported in recent months, the U.S. cattle inventory is at a 25-year low, and severe drought in parts of the country has further reduced the feed supply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
-
Oil prices jumped more than 4% on Wednesday as fears of a conflict that would disrupt crude supplies suddenly swept the market.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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