1
as in required
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
forced payment of membership dues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strained
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
wasn't thrilled with the suggestion and so responded with a forced smile
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unwilling
not made or done willingly or by choice
participation in the program was forced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in compelled
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violated
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was accused of forcing a woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forced
ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Crucially, the experience didn’t feel fake or forced.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
Ahangarani has no answer for this and is eventually forced into exile herself, while most of her family remains stuck back in Iran.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forced
Adjective
But the arc — first raising expectations for a big reveal, then declaring there was nothing to see, and ultimately a forced, flawed document dump — was a stubbornly problematic storyline that ran through her time as attorney general.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Crucially, the experience didn’t feel fake or forced.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Produced alongside Benjamin Domenech, the project was originally developed as an Argentine production before the political crisis and economic turmoil in Argentina forced the team to rethink the film.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 17 May 2026
Ahangarani has no answer for this and is eventually forced into exile herself, while most of her family remains stuck back in Iran.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forced
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forced
Adjective
-
Graphics software was not easy to use, unintuitive and required training.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
The second emergency board, which released a report on March 16, extended by 60 days the required cooling-off period.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
At the same time, reductions in federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are expected to increase food insecurity among older adults, placing even more pressure on already strained systems.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The Thunder are 8-0 in the postseason despite their second-best player Jalen Williams missing the entirety of the playoffs with a strained hamstring.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
But Leetch was unwilling to make such a defiant gesture.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
Whiteness craves power and money and is unwilling to concede that power and money to non-whites.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The powerful monetary incentives provided to our politicians and their PACs have compelled legislative compliance to their global agenda.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
Toohey said Lyons was compelled to invent the hatchway because the old wooden ones weren’t durable enough, and were difficult to maintain.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Apkarian found that the ads, which have been on the airwaves for more than 20 years, violated California’s false advertising law by disseminating public statements about the disposal of property — specifically vehicle donations — that were misleading by omission.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
-
The flotilla, involving nearly 500 activists from 45 countries, revives questions over enforcing blockades in international waters amid Gaza’s deepening humanitarian crisis and a fragile, frequently violated ceasefire.—
Suzan Fraser,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
The dominance of the AI theme over stock-market performance, corporate profitability, economic growth and investor attention has grown so extreme that some very large structural questions now seem urgent and compulsory.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
Until recently both were compulsory and couldn’t be removed.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Strangers are matched by experts and move in together after mock wedding ceremonies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
The first mock drafts tend to go up just after the previous year’s real draft ends.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Jon Burge coerced the confession.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Without that market competition, the plaintiffs argued, gamers were coerced into paying higher prices, effectively allowing Sony to monopolize the sale of its digital PlayStation games.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forced. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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