force feed
noun
lubrication under pressure, as from a pump, used especially in internal-combustion engines.
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force feed
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force-feed
force-feedverb (used with object)to compel to take food, especially by means of a tube inserted into the throat.
force feed
1 Americannoun
force-feed
2
American
[fawrs-feed, fohrs-]
/ ˈfɔrsˈfid, ˈfoʊrs- /
verb (used with object)
force-fed,
force-feeding
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to compel to take food, especially by means of a tube inserted into the throat.
They force-fed the prisoners in the hunger strike.
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to compel to absorb or assimilate.
The recruits were force-fed a military attitude.
force-feed
British
verb
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to force (a person or animal) to eat or swallow food
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to force (someone) to receive opinions, propaganda, etc
noun
Etymology
Origin of force feed1
First recorded in 1915–20
Origin of force-feed2
First recorded in 1905–10
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.
See Examples For:
“You don’t generally convince senators by trying to force feed them,” Kennedy said in an interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2022
Limiting Patterson is hard, though, as the Falcons continue to force feed their breakout playmaker with so many touches that he’s tied for the sixth-most touchdowns from scrimmage.
From New York Times ● Dec. 16, 2021
Fangio said he’s certain his fiery first-round draft pick will use the letdown as kindling for a prosperous career, but he’s not going to force feed him the ball Sunday.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 31, 2020
Yeast also needs to consume sugar gradually—a production plant can’t force feed the cells at a faster clip.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2020
“You’ll have to force feed her—strong soup and eggs and cod liver oil.”
From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck
His teammates nearly tripped over themselves at times in an effort to force-feed him the puck.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 16, 2022
Still, watching the International Olympic Committee put the Games on a fork and force-feed them to the resistant toddler that was Japan, well, it drove home the point about who’s actually in power here.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 8, 2021
I text back "I'm really sorry I tried to force-feed you Weetabix".
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2020
It’s happened my whole career where people try to force-feed you.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2019
At the other end of the room, Leo tried to force-feed Percy some ambrosia, though Percy was still pretty much out of it.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
McDonald, who wrote the bestseller, “A Colossal Failure of Common Sense,” said tech representation in the S&P 500 is so high that retail investors are being force-fed the sector.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026
We, the fans, are the people who have been force-fed mistake after mistake.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026
They’re not given tools for critical thinking, but force-fed ready-made schemes for perceiving the world.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2025
Beto’s mother, Cecilia, arrived at his bedside and force-fed him drops of juice while the family waited for an ambulance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2024
In England, more than a thousand suffragettes spent time in jail, and dozens were force-fed.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Today, producers are concentrated in the eastern provinces of Shandong and Anhui, where farmers churn out thousands of tons of foie gras by force-feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
The primary means by which Meta has encouraged adoption of its A.I. can be generously described as digital force-feeding.
From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2025
After six games, it was time to start force-feeding the rookie at least a bit to try to speed up his development.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2023
Chin delves into racism, gay rights and other social justice issues, but not by force-feeding them.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2023
Lucy Burns had experienced force-feeding in England, so she knew what to expect.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
