1
as in compels
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
2
as in violates
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was accused of forcing a woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in workforces
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 pressures
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 police
a body of officers of the law
the police detective retired after 23 years on the force
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in supplies
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 forces
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How the system works Conventional air conditioners rely on vapor-compression refrigeration that cools and dehumidifies air at the same time, a coupling that often forces overcooling and reheating to maintain comfort.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
Bathsheba successfully forces one woman to kill her child but meets her match in the one-two punch of Lili Taylor and Farmiga.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Again, that forces the heart to work more, and with fewer resources, Nelson explains.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 Sep. 2025
Ejecta from its innermost large, volcano-rich moon, Io, populates this inner magnetosphere with sulfur dioxide gas, where the magnetic field forces this material to co-rotate with Jupiter itself in a torus-like shape.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Sep. 2025
The technology forces us to rethink our current understanding of learning processes.
—Sadhasivam Mohanadas, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But this choice forces her to sever ties with her family—especially her darker-skinned sister, Virginia—and live in constant fear of being discovered.
—Glory Edim
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Cárdenas, who served in Colombia’s national police and arrived in Ukraine to fight in April 2024, surrendered to Russian forces when his unit failed to defend a position in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
—Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the general joined a group of Israeli special forces upon arrival at the kibbutz.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
Intersectionality is easily one of the most powerful forces driving American political debate and policy in 2025.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
On the evacuations, Israeli officials say 70,000 people have fled Gaza City so far, though Palestinian authorities contend far fewer have left, with tens of thousands still in the path of advancing forces.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The threat to target foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine is the latest of Russia’s inflammatory statements regarding outside involvement in the conflict.
—Darya Tarasova, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Those remains still saturate the soil of the now quaint hills and regrown forests surrounding the salient that once proved so vital to preventing the invading German forces from reaching Paris.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Dan and Jennifer Gilbert have been powerful forces in metro Detroit philanthropy, including through their Gilbert Family Foundation.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
But upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
How the system works Conventional air conditioners rely on vapor-compression refrigeration that cools and dehumidifies air at the same time, a coupling that often forces overcooling and reheating to maintain comfort.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025
Bathsheba successfully forces one woman to kill her child but meets her match in the one-two punch of Lili Taylor and Farmiga.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Again, that forces the heart to work more, and with fewer resources, Nelson explains.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 Sep. 2025
Ejecta from its innermost large, volcano-rich moon, Io, populates this inner magnetosphere with sulfur dioxide gas, where the magnetic field forces this material to co-rotate with Jupiter itself in a torus-like shape.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 3 Sep. 2025
The technology forces us to rethink our current understanding of learning processes.
—Sadhasivam Mohanadas, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
But this choice forces her to sever ties with her family—especially her darker-skinned sister, Virginia—and live in constant fear of being discovered.
—Glory Edim
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down 69 Ukrainian drones overnight.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Cárdenas, who served in Colombia’s national police and arrived in Ukraine to fight in April 2024, surrendered to Russian forces when his unit failed to defend a position in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
—Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the general joined a group of Israeli special forces upon arrival at the kibbutz.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
Intersectionality is easily one of the most powerful forces driving American political debate and policy in 2025.
—John Scott Lewinski, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
On the evacuations, Israeli officials say 70,000 people have fled Gaza City so far, though Palestinian authorities contend far fewer have left, with tens of thousands still in the path of advancing forces.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The threat to target foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine is the latest of Russia’s inflammatory statements regarding outside involvement in the conflict.
—Darya Tarasova, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Those remains still saturate the soil of the now quaint hills and regrown forests surrounding the salient that once proved so vital to preventing the invading German forces from reaching Paris.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
Dan and Jennifer Gilbert have been powerful forces in metro Detroit philanthropy, including through their Gilbert Family Foundation.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forces
Verb
-
The power of Ed and Lorraine Warren compels you — to buy a movie ticket!—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The power of Christ still compels moviegoers.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Any member who violates the ban would need to pay a fee equal to 10% of the value of the covered investment, and get rid of any profits from that investment.—
Emily Wilkins,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In times of war, it is simply forbidden to say anything that violates the general consensus—and the consensus regarding the war is sacred and immutable.—
Uriel Kon
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In essence, the court approved of what amounted to the INS’s reliance on racial profiling to seize entire workforces without individualized objective facts and rational inferences normally required under the Fourth Amendment for seizures of a person.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The World Bank’s research shows how countries can make smart investments backed by sound public policy to become clean industrial leaders, achieve energy savings, create larger and more capable workforces, and secure a livable, pollution-free climate.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The coming days will test whether Milei's popularity can withstand the dual pressures of economic stagnation and credibility erosion, or whether the volatile dynamics of Argentine politics will claim another victim.—
Agustino Fontevecchia,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Wellness reporter Rachel Hale wrote about Gen Z's financial anxiety being on the rise in the wake of student loan payment pressures and uncertainty.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The university initially stated on social media that a suspect was in custody, but Scott Trotter, a university spokesman, told the New York Times and Deseret News that police determined the person who was taken into custody was not the shooter.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
More than 3,000 people were estimated to be at the event, according to the university's police chief, Jeff Long.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In a dressing room near the amphitheatre on Little Island, a makeup artist (James Kaliardos, standing) was pouring his attention and a wealth of beauty supplies onto a countertenor (Anthony Roth Costanzo, seated).—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
And for those who enjoy the in-store shopping experience, select Party City locations nationwide continue to welcome customers who want to browse and pick up their party supplies in person.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Compulsory heterosexuality is a theoretical framework coined by lesbian scholar Adrienne Rich in 1980 to describe how heterosexuality as an institution compels and coerces female sexuality for patriarchal purposes.—
Quispe López,
Them.,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The pic centers on Ali (Ekin Koç), a university professor who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lanier rapes Forsythe during a job interview, which O’Brien recounts in upsetting, unwavering detail.—
Jared Sullivan,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2024
-
Donald treats Ivana with similar contempt, and then rapes her.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
10 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Forces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forces. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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