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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

Derived 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.

In April, the court sharply limited a part of those protections that had forced states to draw voting districts to help elect Black or Latino representatives to Congress, as well as state and local boards.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

“Grandparents are often forced to spend down their resources.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Growing maintenance costs, tax changes and workers returning to the office have forced sellers to cut prices on large, luxurious estates from the Cotswolds to the northern Home Counties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Equities sold off sharply this past Friday, as a strong jobs report pushed up bond yields and forced investors to grapple with the prospects of interest-rate hikes this year.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

Elliot forced a grin, showing off two rows of perfect white teeth.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

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