perforce
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of perforce
1300–50; per + force; replacing Middle English par force < Middle French
Explanation
The adverb perforce means "necessarily" or "inevitably." As wonderful and warm as summer is, it must perforce come to an end. Read enough poetry and you'll perforce come across the word perforce sooner or later. It's mainly used in literary or formal contexts, so you can choose to use it if you want to sound fancy: "Our disagreement over what to have for dinner will perforce end in our ordering a pizza." Perforce comes from the Old French par force, "by force."
Vocabulary lists containing perforce
Othello
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
King Lear
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Methane is a carbon-based molecule, so many of the ingredients for life are perforce there.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 6, 2023
Elizabeth II was perforce a kind of cipher, less a personality than a series of roles, a virtually voiceless princess, a daughter, wife, mother, and at last queen.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2023
Doing so, perforce, would also crush the rebels’ claim that the national government was powerless to halt slavery’s growth and commence its extinction.
From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2020
And even when there is, it would tell you nothing, because the same number of people, perforce, bought.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 9, 2018
To advocate placing such information in the public record, Strauss asserted, was perforce an act of disloyalty.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
