1
as in coercing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violating
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was accused of forcing a woman
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Recent Examples of forcing
The storm reshaped the coastline, forcing a rushed build and rebuild of the course.
—
Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Wildfires destroyed 12,000 structures around Altadena and Pacific Palisades – cutting housing supply and forcing victims to seek new living arrangements.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
The Academy is forcing me to beg political people to screen and select my film.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
The legislation will limit repayment options and cap borrowing limits for graduate students, including eliminating Graduate PLUS loans, forcing more students to apply for private loans or reconsider their education options.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.
—Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
One way that Apple could subtly raise prices is by eliminating the entry-level version of its phones, forcing users to upgrade to get more storage at a higher starting price.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The landmark ruling by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta could have reshaped how the internet functions by requiring Google to give up a core part of its business, but Mehta’s decision Tuesday fell short of forcing such a shift.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Wildfires destroyed 12,000 structures around Altadena and Pacific Palisades – cutting housing supply and forcing victims to seek new living arrangements.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
The Academy is forcing me to beg political people to screen and select my film.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
The legislation will limit repayment options and cap borrowing limits for graduate students, including eliminating Graduate PLUS loans, forcing more students to apply for private loans or reconsider their education options.
—Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.
—Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
One way that Apple could subtly raise prices is by eliminating the entry-level version of its phones, forcing users to upgrade to get more storage at a higher starting price.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The landmark ruling by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta could have reshaped how the internet functions by requiring Google to give up a core part of its business, but Mehta’s decision Tuesday fell short of forcing such a shift.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forcing
Verb
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The allegations come amid the ongoing fallout of felony perjury and bribery charges filed in 2023 against Tran, who is accused of paying off and coercing a witness in a separate 2011 murder case.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
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Pressuring or coercing someone into ending their life would be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.—
Alistair Smout,
USA TODAY,
29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The bill will force cities in large counties in the state to allow projects on properties within one-half mile of certain transit stops, even on land that is not zoned for residential use, or face a fine for violating state law.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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San Diego City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell has admitted violating city record-keeping rules during her 2022 re-election campaign and agreed to pay a $300 fine to resolve the case brought by the San Diego Ethics Commission.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In season four, Mike’s control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
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This approach would have put unions on the defensive, compelling them to confront the state’s dire financial realities.—
Frank Ricci,
Hartford Courant,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Perkins had accused Dunmire of raping her, but no charges were ever filed against him, according to Cleveland 19 News.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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And rewatch the short videos on consent he had been required to watch in orientation just six weeks before raping Emily.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This document, signed by a sponsor, is a legally enforceable contract obligating the sponsor to support the immigrant and prevent them from relying on public aid.—
Daniel Shoer Roth,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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The following year, legislation was passed formally designating these problems as matters of national concern and obligating local governments to implement countermeasures.—
Gil Press,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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It’ll be used, in part, to identify people assaulting ICE officers.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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At the time, the actor was apparently on probation after pleading no contest to misdemeanor battery over allegedly assaulting girlfriend Brittany Ashland.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Vance and his family reportedly stayed in a lavish Georgian manor owned by a light-bulb magnate, obliging me to ask whose bright idea that was.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Trump has been pressuring Powell to cut since winning the Oval Office (despite lobbying for the contrary before the elections).—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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The high-profile nature of Stone’s case raises awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and reliance on surveillance technology, pressuring the manufacturers to assess the accuracy of their products to prevent this tragedy from occurring again.—
John Perlstein,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forcing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forcing. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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