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

Etymology

Origin of force majeure

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

force majeure

Purchasers have also been hit by the fact that many pre-war contracts governing prices have been suspended as producers cite "force majeure," forcing reliance on higher spot market prices.

From Barron's ● Apr. 10, 2026

Pulsar’s Cain said helium buyers as far apart as India and Brazil have also received force majeure notices in recent days from their suppliers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

Alba—a leading aluminum producer in Bahrain—declared force majeure, freeing the company from its contractual liabilities, on March 4 due to the conflict, according to multiple sources.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

Still, “QatarEnergy declared force majeure on some supply contracts following last week’s attacks on its facilities,” ANZ analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026

Occasionally, however, that force majeure, the Unforeseen, would suddenly arrive in the midst of this regular existence and disarrange its equilibrium and its budget.

From Renée Mauperin by Hallard, Alys