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
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 July 2025
The coast-to-coast combination could force the other two major freight railroads, Burlington Northen Sante Fe, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway, and CSX Corp., to also merge to stay competitive, leaving the nation with two major freight railroads moving goods east-to-west.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 29 July 2025
Grace Kneebone, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2025
His potential is sky-high, not only potentially game-breaking when given the chance to attack open spaces, but dangerous in the area too; tall, powerful, and able to attack set-pieces and crash home rebounds with force.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Verb
There is growing speculation that the absence of MSNBC and CNBC from the NBCUniversal news operations could force a recalibration of resources, according to two people familiar with newsroom conversations.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 July 2025
The coast-to-coast combination could force the other two major freight railroads, Burlington Northen Sante Fe, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway, and CSX Corp., to also merge to stay competitive, leaving the nation with two major freight railroads moving goods east-to-west.
—Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 29 July 2025
Noun
Take two eggs, one in each hand, and knock them together with medium force.
—Grace Kneebone, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2025
His potential is sky-high, not only potentially game-breaking when given the chance to attack open spaces, but dangerous in the area too; tall, powerful, and able to attack set-pieces and crash home rebounds with force.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for force
Recent Examples of Synonyms for force
Verb
-
This fosters a competitive market where vendors are compelled to innovate on value, not by locking customers into their ecosystem.—
Rajat Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Flynn plays a man compelled to clean up the lawless cattle town of Dodge City.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Under the proposal, violating the permit restrictions would carry a $150 fine.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
23 July 2025
-
Then, in November 2023, a mistrial was declared in a federal trial over whether Hankison violated the civil rights of Taylor, her boyfriend and neighbors after the jury could not come to a decision.—
Josh Wood,
The Courier-Journal,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
The vote has coincided with efforts by Beijing to raise its military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.—
Jan Camenzind Broomby,
NPR,
26 July 2025
-
His game plan was to move forward, pressure Volkanovski and land with power.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Part of the reason for this gap between power users and typical users is the route by which students have become aware of ChatGPT.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
Trump has the power to pardon Maxwell or to commute her sentence.—
Aysha Bagchi,
The Courier-Journal,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
In April, the company forecast its organic sales growth (which excludes the impact of foreign exchange, acquisitions and divestitures) would climb a meager 2% for the fiscal year ended June 30 - the worst performance since 2018.—
Alexander Coolidge,
The Enquirer,
29 July 2025
-
Exceptional leaders understand the far-reaching impact of top performers and seek to meet their needs.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Once contained to local disputes resolved between communities, the violence has exploded into mass killings fueled by population growth, the climate crisis, and the collapse of traditional peacemaking.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
26 July 2025
-
Advertisement Both countries have issued statements accusing the other of instigating the violence.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
When Chandler police arrived, the chase was underway, Cody said.—
Maritza Dominguez,
AZCentral.com,
31 July 2025
-
Roberts has not been charged with a crime as Fishers police continue investigating the claims.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
There is a nearly infinite supply of people who might be paid off to do this or that will succumb to threats to do so.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
The Chinese Liberation Army and local armed police force and militias have assisted in disaster relief efforts by conducting rescue operations, repairing damaged roads and providing supplies to those in need, per Xinhua.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Force.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/force. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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