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Showing results for "forced"
  • past tense form of force.
  • past participle of force.
Synonyms

forced

American  
[fawrst, fohrst] / fɔrst, foʊrst /

adjective

  1. enforced or compulsory.

    forced labor.

  2. strained, unnatural, or affected.

    a forced smile.

  3. subjected to force.

  4. required by circumstances; emergency.

    a forced landing of an airplane.


forced British  
/ fɔːst, ˈfɔːsɪdlɪ /

adjective

  1. done because of force; compulsory

    forced labour

  2. false or unnatural

    a forced smile

  3. due to an emergency or necessity

    a forced landing

  4. physics caused by an external agency

    a forced vibration

    a forced draught

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of forced

First recorded in 1540–50; force + -ed 2

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:

Chris O’Leary’s unit forced a punt on its first drive.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 28, 2026

A few crumbling concrete blocks in an overgrown field are all that remains visible of what was once a sprawling Nazi forced labour complex around the Austrian town of Leobersdorf.

From Barron's Aug. 28, 2026

They fear they will lose their jobs and be forced to return to Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 27, 2026

It’s the money you spend in the ugly years so you aren’t forced to sell stocks at the bottom.

From MarketWatch Aug. 27, 2026

He forced himself to think of that -to push away the horror.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

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