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
Surveillance footage showed three people dressed in dark clothing forcing him into a white SUV and speeding off, investigators said.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The city subway system was also running with delays, including massive backups at multiple stations in Brooklyn after C trains were taken off the tracks, forcing all A trains to run local.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Baldwin refused to play this role for white, heterosexual society and instead turned his critical gaze back on white heterosexuals, forcing them to look in the mirror.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
For most of the night, the Jayhawks were flawless in forcing Houston’s guards into hard shots and keeping star freshman Kingston Flemings from getting into the paint or hitting his patented pull-up jumper.
—Cj Moore, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The torrential rains began on Monday and quickly spread to the nearby city of Uba, forcing at least 440 residents to evacuate their homes.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Every possession was a battle for the Cougars, with the Jayhawks even forcing a shot clock violation.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2026
But the Chinese government had begun to crack down on crypto, forcing Dragonfly to pick up its Asia operations and move to Singapore.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Let those elements guide your choices rather than forcing a particular style.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The city subway system was also running with delays, including massive backups at multiple stations in Brooklyn after C trains were taken off the tracks, forcing all A trains to run local.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
Baldwin refused to play this role for white, heterosexual society and instead turned his critical gaze back on white heterosexuals, forcing them to look in the mirror.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
For most of the night, the Jayhawks were flawless in forcing Houston’s guards into hard shots and keeping star freshman Kingston Flemings from getting into the paint or hitting his patented pull-up jumper.
—Cj Moore, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The torrential rains began on Monday and quickly spread to the nearby city of Uba, forcing at least 440 residents to evacuate their homes.
—ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Every possession was a battle for the Cougars, with the Jayhawks even forcing a shot clock violation.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 24 Feb. 2026
But the Chinese government had begun to crack down on crypto, forcing Dragonfly to pick up its Asia operations and move to Singapore.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Let those elements guide your choices rather than forcing a particular style.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forcing
Verb
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Meyers is also accused of coercing the 15-year-old into recording the high school’s wrestling team, the complaint alleges.—
Brittany Kubicko,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Guevara and two colleagues, Mason and then-Detective Ernest Halvorson, orchestrated a frame-up by coercing one witness to identify Rios by beating him with a phone book and flashlight, and another by threatening to charge him with obstruction, according to the plaintiffs’ allegations.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The camp’s emergency instructions told campers to stay in cabins during floods, violating Texas law requiring youth camps have evacuation procedures.—
Emily Foxhall,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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In December, he was taken into custody in Oregon for allegedly violating the terms of his probation.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown was hosting a roundtable featuring seven Ohioans sharing stories about the financial pain that bloated health-care costs had inflicted on their families, compelling them to scale back their medical care.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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The contempt proceedings are an initial step toward a criminal prosecution by the Department of Justice that, if successful, could send the Clintons to prison in a dispute over compelling them to testify before the House Oversight Committee.—
Stephen Groves,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Scott Marino, the Malden High School girls' basketball coach, is charged with raping a student.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Funston used toys, dolls and candy to lure victims ranging in age from 3 to 7 into his vehicle before raping and beating them.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The unions argue that carrying out permanent layoffs during a funding lapse violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from obligating funds without congressional authorization, and exceeds executive authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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He was charged with assaulting NYPD officers.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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By 2012, Epstein had been accused of molesting and assaulting girls in 23 different civil lawsuits.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Black has sometimes driven for miles to a particular cemetery only to find a funeral under way, obliging him to leave empty-handed.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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The article is the key mutual defense clause, obliging all member countries to come to the aid of another member whose sovereignty or territorial integrity might be under threat.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tariffs on these goods can raise input costs, further pressuring manufacturing companies.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
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The speed of the game is where many players falter on defense, so pressuring them now is part of getting better.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forcing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forcing. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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