force
physical power or strength possessed by a living being: He used all his force in opening the window.
strength or power exerted upon a person; physical coercion; violence: The campus police are legally authorized to use force to defend themselves or others.
power to influence, affect, or control; efficacious power: They were strangers brought together by the force of circumstances.UNESCO is calling on countries to increase political commitment to education as a force for inclusion.
Law. unlawful violence threatened or committed against persons or property.
persuasive power; power to convince: They felt the force of his arguments.
mental or moral strength: It requires great force of character to go against the crowd.
might, as of a ruler or realm; strength for war: The government hoped a show of force at sea would prevent an invasion by scaring off the opposing side.
Often forces or Forces . the people and resources that make up the military, especially of a nation: After the surrender, the invaders withdrew the majority of their forces, but left garrisons in place.
Often the force or the Force . the police force: She was a police officer for twenty years, but retired from the force a year ago.
any body of persons combined for joint action: We have a sales force of one hundred people spread all across the state.
intensity or strength of effect: The force of her acting was such that I nearly forgot I was watching a film.
Physics.
an influence on a body or system, producing or tending to produce a change in movement or in shape or other effects.
the intensity of such an influence. Symbol: F, f
any influence or agency analogous to physical force: Two powerful social forces, consumerism and economic anxiety, are clashing as a recession looms.
binding power, as of a contract or law: The The Data Protection Act 2018 was passed by the British Parliament in 2016 and came into force on May 25, 2018.
value; significance; meaning: The force of his message was lost on me—I didn't understand a word he said.
Baseball. force play.
Billiards. a sharp stroke hitting a cue ball directly below the center in such a manner as to cause it to stop abruptly, bound back, or roll off to one side after hitting the object ball.
the Force, in the fictional Star Wars universe, a metaphysical energy that connects all living things and can be used for feats such as telekinesis, telepathy, influencing the minds of others, etc.
to compel, constrain, or oblige (oneself or another person) to do something: They lied to force the suspect to confess.
to drive or propel against resistance: He forced his way through the crowd.They forced air into his lungs.
to bring about or effect by force: The general's gunboats attacked the fort on February 6, and forced a surrender.
to bring about from necessity or as a necessary result: Raising interest rates is one of the most reliable ways to force a slowdown in the housing market.
to bring about (a reaction, emotion, etc.) against natural inclination: She had to force a smile in the midst of her sadness.He forced a laugh at his companion's terrible joke.
to put or impose (something or someone) forcibly on a person: His habit of forcing his opinions on others made him difficult to work with.
to compel by force; overcome resistance to (an action or practice): During this period of religious instability in England, monarchs tried to force acceptance of their chosen church through law.
to obtain or draw forth by or as if by force; extort: They forced a testimony out of the reluctant witness.
to break open (a door, lock, etc.): The thieves forced the lock, so we'll have to completely replace it.
to cause (plants, fruits, etc.) to grow or mature at an increased rate by artificial means: You can force rhubarb for an earlier harvest by covering the crowns in the late winter.
to enter or take by force; overpower: They forced the town after a long siege.
to press, urge, or exert to violent effort or to the utmost: The auctioneer displays refreshing charm and wit as he forces the bidding and drives the price higher and higher.
to use force upon.
Baseball.
to cause (a base runner) to be put out by obliging the runner, as by a ground ball, to vacate a base and attempt to move to the next base in order to make room for another runner or the batter.
to cause (a base runner or run) to score, as by walking a batter with the bases full (often followed by in).
Cards.
to compel (a player) to trump by leading a suit of which the player has no cards.
to compel a player to play (a particular card).
to compel (a player) to play so as to make known the strength of the hand.
Photography.
to develop (a print or negative) for longer than usual in order to increase density or bring out details.
to bring out underexposed parts of (a print or negative) by adding alkali to the developer.
Archaic. to give force to; strengthen; reinforce.
to make one's way by force: He saw her car force through the crowd.
Idioms about force
in force,
in operation; effective: This ancient rule is no longer in force.
in large numbers; at full strength: They attacked in force.
Origin of force
1synonym study For force
word story For force
Other words for force
Opposites for force
6 | impotence, ineffectiveness |
Other words from force
- force·a·ble, adjective
- force·less, adjective
- forc·er, noun
- forc·ing·ly, adverb
- in·ter·force, noun
- o·ver·force, noun
- o·ver·force, verb, o·ver·forced, o·ver·forc·ing.
- un·force·a·ble, adjective
- un·forc·ing, adjective
Words that may be confused with force
Words Nearby force
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use force in a sentence
Troye said she organized and participated in every meeting of the coronavirus task force, which her former boss chairs, between February and July.
A devastating picture of Trump’s coronavirus response — from a firsthand witness | Aaron Blake | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostClimate change has also been a force behind the latest wave of destructive wildfires on the West Coast.
What wildfires in Brazil, Siberia, and the US West have in common | Lili Pike | September 17, 2020 | VoxPerhaps the presence of EMS workers could have saved Taylor’s life, as her attorneys say, but this would not have changed the fact that she was already the victim of excessive force the moment officers stormed in and started shooting.
The policing reforms in the Breonna Taylor settlement, explained | Fabiola Cineas | September 17, 2020 | VoxAltogether, this means that water is hitting the ground with more force and the soil is unable to suck it up.
California wildfires may give way to massive mudslides | Ula Chrobak | September 17, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe president recently visited Wisconsin to highlight his support for law enforcement and to reinforce his message that he is best suited to tamp down violence — with force, if necessary.
Post-ABC Wisconsin poll shows Biden holding narrow edge over Trump | Dan Balz, Emily Guskin | September 16, 2020 | Washington Post
Yet for a vivid decade or so, sleaze was, somewhat paradoxically, a force for literacy and empowerment.
Shortly after dawn, there was another outbreak of deadly force.
And Air force assessors are the first to say such imaging never tells the whole story.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War | Nancy A. Youssef | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTDetectives with a fugitive task force caught up with Polanco and a friend on a Bronx street in the early afternoon.
The Pentagon said Faal served in the Air force for seven years, during which time he became a U.S. citizen.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country | Jacob Siegel | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe Goliath wouldn't answer; the Dublin said the force was coming off, and we could not get into touch with the soldiers at all.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonFor this use of the voice in the special service of will-power, or propelling force, it is necessary first to test its freedom.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickBut you are mistaken in thinking the force west consists of the entire Merrill Horse.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnShe and her younger sister, Janet, had quarreled a good deal through force of unfortunate habit.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinIn the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | Various
British Dictionary definitions for force (1 of 2)
/ (fɔːs) /
strength or energy; might; power: the force of the blow; a gale of great force
exertion or the use of exertion against a person or thing that resists; coercion
physics
a dynamic influence that changes a body from a state of rest to one of motion or changes its rate of motion. The magnitude of the force is equal to the product of the mass of the body and its acceleration
a static influence that produces an elastic strain in a body or system or bears weight: Symbol: F
physics any operating influence that produces or tends to produce a change in a physical quantity: electromotive force; coercive force
intellectual, social, political, or moral influence or strength: the force of his argument; the forces of evil
a person or thing with such influence: he was a force in the land
vehemence or intensity: he spoke with great force
a group of persons organized for military or police functions: armed forces
the force (sometimes capital) informal the police force
a group of persons organized for particular duties or tasks: a workforce
criminal law violence unlawfully committed or threatened
philosophy logic that which an expression is normally used to achieve: See speech act, illocution, perlocution
in force
(of a law) having legal validity or binding effect
in great strength or numbers
join forces to combine strengths, efforts, etc
to compel or cause (a person, group, etc) to do something through effort, superior strength, etc; coerce
to acquire, secure, or produce through effort, superior strength, etc: to force a confession
to propel or drive despite resistance: to force a nail into wood
to break down or open (a lock, safe, door, etc)
to impose or inflict: he forced his views on them
to cause (plants or farm animals) to grow or fatten artificially at an increased rate
to strain or exert to the utmost: to force the voice
to rape; ravish
cards
to compel (a player) to trump in order to take a trick
to compel a player by the lead of a particular suit to play (a certain card)
(in bridge) to induce (a bid) from one's partner by bidding in a certain way
force a smile to make oneself smile
force down to compel an aircraft to land
force the pace to adopt a high speed or rate of procedure
Origin of force
1Derived forms of force
- forceable, adjective
- forceless, adjective
- forcer, noun
- forcingly, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for force (2 of 2)
/ (fɔːs) /
(in northern England) a waterfall
Origin of force
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for force
[ fôrs ]
Any of various factors that cause a body to change its speed, direction, or shape. Force is a vector quantity, having both magnitude and direction. Contributions of force from different sources can be summed to give the net force at any given point.
Any of the four natural phenomena involving the interaction between particles of matter. From the strongest to the weakest, the four forces are the strong nuclear force, the electromagnetic force, the weak nuclear force, and gravity.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for force
In physics, something that causes a change in the motion of an object. The modern definition of force (an object's mass multiplied by its acceleration) was given by Isaac Newton in Newton's laws of motion. The most familiar unit of force is the pound. (See mechanics.)
Notes for force
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with force
In addition to the idioms beginning with force
- force someone's hand
- force to be reckoned with
also see:
- brute force
- driving force
- in force
- join forces
- reckon with (force to be reckoned with)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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