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
Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2026
But his rising popularity and massive $27 million fundraising in the first three months of the year will force Republicans to play defense.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
But the same geological forces that formed the stacks may also be their undoing.
—ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
The bill from Qi and Schmidt would have allowed these independents to participate without forcing them to choose a party.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 3 May 2026
But his rising popularity and massive $27 million fundraising in the first three months of the year will force Republicans to play defense.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Noun
Coroners ruled that Parsons suffered extreme blunt force trauma to his ribs, pelvis and spine.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
But the same geological forces that formed the stacks may also be their undoing.
—ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
Grant was compelled to celebrate the nation’s hundredth anniversary just as its boldest experiment in democracy to date was being dismantled.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Her new perspective gazes at us directly, compelling us to meet her eye.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Haines is among more than 1,500 property owners who filed a federal lawsuit arguing the moratorium enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention violated the Fifth Amendment by unlawfully denying them compensation.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
But after the state complied, white plaintiffs sued, saying the second district drawn with racial goals in mind violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Consistent use of bylines began during the Civil War when Union General Joseph Hooker became enraged over a story that included information about the manpower and location of his Army of the Potomac.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The lengthening deployments come as Ukrainian commanders in other units have warned of personnel issues, acknowledging that the army will never match the manpower of Russia’s far larger military force.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But within Seattle’s defense — a unit built on balance, depth and consistent pressure — his role still mattered.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In a sign of the pressure for Republicans to take advantage of the opportunity, multiple hopefuls running for governor in GOP primaries called for immediate redraws.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Once fierce rivals, the two men were responsible for the country’s first peaceful transfer of power between parties, after Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican Party defeated Adams and the Federalists in the election of 1800.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, the Marlins are sending catcher Agustin Ramirez to Triple-A after an uneven first five weeks in which his power declined, his defense remained poor and base running errors frustrated the team.—
Barry Jackson,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
These processes monitor patient safety, clinical documentation, treatment outcomes and overall operational effectiveness, reinforcing a culture of accountability and consistency.—
Ascend Agency,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
The new data, which are released annually, follow a year of confusion and doubt in some quarters over the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
But understanding the caution doesn’t lessen the impact of his absence.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
During a sentencing hearing in Ireland, a victim-impact statement is sometimes delivered in court.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That's because Winnie is accused of encouraging some of the worst Black-on-Black violence in the townships during apartheid in the 1980's.—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
2 May 2026
-
Historian Marvin Dunn echoed that concern, describing a disconnect among younger Black people who did not live through — and in many cases were never deeply taught about — the violence, intimidation and systemic barriers that shaped earlier generations’ fight for the ballot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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