Synonyms

force majeure

American

[fawrs ma-zhœr] / fɔrs maˈʒœr /

noun

Law.

plural

forces majeures

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

force majeure British

/ ˈfɔːs mæˈʒɜː, -ˈdʒʊə /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of force majeure

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

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.

Force majeure was declared on contracts with Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Force majeure is a way for companies to be released from contractual liabilities and could be a signal that the nation doesn’t intend to restart its gas plants soon.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

Force majeure is a legal maneuver that releases a company from its contractual obligations because of extraordinary circumstances.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2024

Force majeure refers to unexpected external circumstances that prevent a party to a contract from meeting their obligations.

From Reuters • Feb. 10, 2020

Force majeure allows producers to miss contractual obligations because of circumstances beyond their control.

From BusinessWeek • Feb. 22, 2011

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023