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

In late August, QatarEnergy—the state-owned petroleum company of Qatar—extended force majeure on contracted supplies for some buyers into early November.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

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

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

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

In Chaldæa the architect was condemned by the force majeure of circumstances to employ little more than crude or burnt brick and bad timber; in Assyria he voluntarily condemned himself to the limitations they imposed.

From A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria, v. 1 by Sir Walter Armstrong