force majeure

American  

[fawrs ma-zhœr] / fɔrs maˈʒœr /

noun

Law.

• forces majeures
  plural

1. an unexpected and disruptive event that may operate to excuse a party from a contract.

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force majeure British  

/ ˈfɔːs mæˈʒɜː, -ˈdʒʊə /

noun

1. law irresistible force or compulsion such as will excuse a party from performing his or her part of a contract

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• forces majeures
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of force majeure

First recorded in 1880–85; from French: literally, “superior force”

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

force majeure

Earlier this month, less than two weeks before the attacks, a clause was added to their contracts, including drone attacks in the list of "force majeure events" for which Wildberries is not liable.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Earnings visibility should remain supported by firm LNG charter contracts with QatarEnergy, easing concerns about potential disruptions after QatarEnergy’s force majeure on LNG supply obligations, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

Qatar has already stopped liquefied natural gas production and, along with energy producers in Kuwait and Bahrain, declared force majeure.

From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026

The force majeure clause allows companies to miss contracted deliveries to customers without penalty due to events beyond their control.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026

They would acknowledge no law nor restraint and seem to have had force majeure on their side.

From A Canadian Manor and Its Seigneurs The Story of a Hundred Years, 1761-1861 by George McKinnon Wrong

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