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
Rodríguez is the closest of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects after starting last season at High-A, forcing his way to Double-A, and earning a brief promotion to Triple-A for his last start of the year.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Similarly, many public schools in Chicago, and across Illinois, are facing low enrollment and financial strain forcing families to look elsewhere for their education.
—Froylan Jimenez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
The Aggies are strong on both ends of the floor, forcing teams to play their style of basketball.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
All cranes and equipment are shut down, forcing the suspension of cargo delivery operations.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
The new designs are forcing players to shape and control shots.
—Keith Stewart, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Arenas made three of nine shots for nine points and fouled four times, forcing him to miss most of the end of the game.
—Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
In 1979, a severe storm caused the roof of Kemper Arena to collapse, forcing the Kings to play at Municipal Auditorium, a much smaller venue that seated about 10,000 fans.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
At his plea hearing, Smith admitted forcing one of his victims to sign a document containing false statements in order to obstruct investigation of his crimes.
—Chris Dolmetsch, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
Similarly, many public schools in Chicago, and across Illinois, are facing low enrollment and financial strain forcing families to look elsewhere for their education.
—Froylan Jimenez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
The Aggies are strong on both ends of the floor, forcing teams to play their style of basketball.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
All cranes and equipment are shut down, forcing the suspension of cargo delivery operations.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 3 Feb. 2026
The new designs are forcing players to shape and control shots.
—Keith Stewart, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Arenas made three of nine shots for nine points and fouled four times, forcing him to miss most of the end of the game.
—Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
In 1979, a severe storm caused the roof of Kemper Arena to collapse, forcing the Kings to play at Municipal Auditorium, a much smaller venue that seated about 10,000 fans.
—Alexa Stone, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026
At his plea hearing, Smith admitted forcing one of his victims to sign a document containing false statements in order to obstruct investigation of his crimes.
—Chris Dolmetsch, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forcing
Verb
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Fraud rings frequently prey on vulnerable people — including immigrants and the unhoused — coercing them to intentionally cause or stage accidents in exchange for the promise of large payouts.—
Elizabeth Heck,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
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The decision typically comes down to whether the government is coercing the public and specifics about who's involved and the intent.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The father of the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II was jailed Tuesday for allegedly violating probation.—
Timia Cobb
Breaking News Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Officers responded to the residence and re-arrested Barnes for violating the conditions of his release.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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In season four, Mike’s (Renner) 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.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In August that year, Singh was sentenced to 20 years in prison – two consecutive 10-year terms – for raping two of his followers in a case dating back to 1999.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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As part of a sweetheart deal his lawyers negotiated with federal prosecutors in South Florida, Epstein was able to walk free despite the fact that he was accused of raping and molested nearly three dozen girls.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
5 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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One rider was banned for a year on May 14, 2025 for assaulting a security officer and was banned again for a year just two days later for assaulting a CATS contractor on the Blue Line platform, records obtained by the Observer show.—
Amber Gaudet
Updated February 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
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Investigators said detectives with the Daytona Beach Police Department later found two video clips on Melady’s cellphone allegedly showing him assaulting the woman inside the ambulance.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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After obliging, the rapper started to riff by adding some new insults.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Chens take turns passing the ball to each other and pressuring opponents.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has been holding daily conference calls pressuring DHS and other federal agencies to prioritize immigration arrests and deportations above all other objectives.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forcing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forcing. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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