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
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Recent Examples of force
Matt Ott, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
As federal and state authorities intensify efforts to contain the spill and clean up beaches, fisherman have struggled to make ends meet as they have been forced to almost completely halt fishing to prevent boat engines and nets from being contaminated with oil, losing their main source of income.
—Félix Márquez, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Ukrainian forces also retook at least 180 sq km in and around Kupyansk in the north in December and have largely held the gains, according to ISW.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
Though Sony did not specifically cite it as a cause, Iran’s attack last week on Qatar’s natural gas export facility forced it to shut down, threatening supplies of helium, a key ingredient used to produce computer chips.
—Matt Ott, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
As federal and state authorities intensify efforts to contain the spill and clean up beaches, fisherman have struggled to make ends meet as they have been forced to almost completely halt fishing to prevent boat engines and nets from being contaminated with oil, losing their main source of income.
—Félix Márquez, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
As part of the Virginia-class fleet, USS New Jersey forms a central element of the US attack-submarine force, designed to operate stealthily in both littoral zones and open-ocean environments, providing the Navy with a versatile and survivable platform for modern undersea warfare.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Ukrainian forces also retook at least 180 sq km in and around Kupyansk in the north in December and have largely held the gains, according to ISW.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Even those who advocated for conservative positions were compelled to make their case in language amenable to the liberal sensibility.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Uthmeier said the Rooney Rule violates Florida law.—
Mac Engel
March 30,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Killing a civilian scientist would violate international law.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Whereas a year ago at this time, the Wild limped into playoffs having lost Joel Eriksson Ek for much of March and Kirill Kaprizov for half of the season, the extra manpower in 2026 creates its own kind of challenge.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
More than four years of war have left Ukraine’s military struggling with serious manpower shortages.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lago explained in a March 10 meeting that the fee would make required maintenance cheaper and easier for business owners, while letting the city manage sidewalk pressure-cleaning and repairs, landscaping and streetscape upkeep to clean and beautify the city.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Geopolitical shifts compound these pressures.—
Smooth Nzewi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In a social media post on Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant were damaged in an attack Sunday evening, killing one worker.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In January, another Polymarket account won big by betting that Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, would soon be out of power.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The bill proposes creating a comparative effectiveness review process for prescription drugs on the Medicaid formulary.—
James Hart,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew, underscoring the effectiveness of both onboard procedures and ground coordination.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Outside the courtroom, the case is already having an impact — especially in South Florida's immigrant communities.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
While economic impact can be quantified and reported, community impact cannot be so easily transacted.—
Michelle Grabner,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The records also show Renfro is facing several other charges from previous cases, including assault causing bodily injury, assault causing bodily injury-family violence, evading arrest or detention, and continuous violence against the family.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The siting of the rites at the Colosseum—where it has been held since 1964, echoing a practice from the eighteenth century—means that the Pope enacts Jesus’ final hours not in a Baroque basilica but against the backdrop of the Roman Empire, which exercised power through violence.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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