force

noun

UK /fɔː(r)s/

Word Forms

singular	force
plural	forces

1
uncountable physical strength, or violence
They accused the police of using excessive force during the arrest.
by force:
The army took control of the region by force.
You can achieve more by persuasion than by brute force (=physical force alone).
Synonyms and related words
Physical strength
strength
force
energy
1. 1a
  the power or energy produced by one thing hitting another
  His body swung round with the force of the blow.
  The office block took the full force of the blast.
  Synonyms and related words
  Physical forces and processes
  absorbance
  air resistance
  amplitude
2
uncountable the influence or powerful effect that someone has
We have convinced people by the force of our argument.
force of personality:
He persuaded them to re-elect him by sheer force of personality.
Synonyms and related words
Power, authority, influence and leadership
leadership
power
authority
1. 2a
  countable someone or something that has a powerful influence on what happens
  the social and political forces that shape people’s lives
  For years he was a dominant force in Spanish politics.
  force for:
  The UN is a force for stability.
  The most obvious force for change in industry is technical advance.
  driving force (=the most important influence):
  She was certainly the driving force behind the campaign.
  Synonyms and related words
  Important thing or detail
  feature
  priority
  element
  Synonyms and related words
  Important and powerful person or people
  figure
  magnate
  VIP
3
countable physicsa power that makes an object move or that changes the way it moves
the force of gravity
electromagnetic forces
Synonyms and related words
Physical forces and processes
absorbance
air resistance
amplitude
1. 3a
  used with a number for describing how strong a wind is
  a force 9 gale
  Synonyms and related words
  Describing and measuring the wind
  the Beaufort scale
  biting
  cutting
4
countable a group of people doing military or police work
Both countries have now withdrawn their forces from the area.
a UN peacekeeping force
Synonyms and related words
Groups of police and departments of the police force
the CID
constabulary
detail
Synonyms and related words
Groups of soldiers
advance guard
battalion
brigade
1. 4a
  a group of people who work together for a particular purpose
  an effective sales force
  Synonyms and related words
  Groups of people who work together
  army
  board
  body
2. 4b
  
  the force
  informalthe police
  Bill was a senior police officer, who joined the force back in 1982.
  Synonyms and related words
  General words for the police
  the authorities
  the boys in blue
  constabulary
  Synonyms and related words
  Groups of police and departments of the police force
  the CID
  constabulary
  detail
5

the Forces
plural Britishthe army, navy, and air force of a country
Synonyms and related words
The armed forces and armies
airborne
air force
air power

phrases

by/through force of circumstances

come/enter into force

a force to be reckoned with

the forces of darkness/evil

the forces of nature

in force

join/combine forces

through/from force of habit

force

noun

US /fɔrs/

Word Forms

singular	force
plural	forces

1
uncountable physical strength, or violence
They accused the police of using excessive force during the arrest.
by force:
The army took control of the region by force.
You can achieve more by persuasion than by brute force (=physical force alone).
Synonyms and related words
Physical strength
strength
force
energy
1. 1a
  the power or energy produced by one thing hitting another
  The office building took the full force of the blast.
  His body swung around with the force of the blow.
  Synonyms and related words
  Physical forces and processes
  absorbance
  air resistance
  amplitude
2
countable a group of people doing military or police work
Both countries have now withdrawn their forces from the area.
a U.N. peacekeeping force
Synonyms and related words
Groups of police and departments of the police force
the CID
constabulary
detail
Synonyms and related words
Groups of soldiers
advance guard
battalion
brigade
1. 2a
  a group of people who work together for a particular purpose
  an effective sales force
  Synonyms and related words
  Groups of people who work together
  army
  board
  body
2. 2b
  
  the force
  informalthe police
  Bill was a senior police officer, who joined the force back in 1982.
  Synonyms and related words
  General words for the police
  the authorities
  the boys in blue
  constabulary
  Synonyms and related words
  Groups of police and departments of the police force
  the CID
  constabulary
  detail
3
uncountable the influence or powerful effect that someone has
We have convinced people by the force of our argument.
force of personality:
He persuaded them to reelect him by sheer force of personality.
Synonyms and related words
Power, authority, influence and leadership
oligopoly
superpower
heft
1. 3a
  countable someone or something that has a powerful influence on what happens
  the social and political forces that shape people’s lives
  For years he was a dominant force in Spanish politics.
  force for:
  The U.N. is a force for stability.
  The most obvious force for change in industry is technical advance.
  driving force (=the most important influence):
  She was certainly the driving force behind the campaign.
  Synonyms and related words
  Important thing or detail
  feature
  priority
  element
  Synonyms and related words
  Important and powerful person or people
  figure
  magnate
  VIP
4
countable physicsa power that makes an object move or that changes the way it moves
the force of gravity
electromagnetic forces
Synonyms and related words
Physical forces and processes
absorbance
air resistance
amplitude
1. 4a
  used with a number for describing how strong a wind is
  a force 9 gale
  Synonyms and related words
  Describing and measuring the wind
  the Beaufort scale
  biting
  cutting
5

the Forces
plural Britishthe military of a country
Synonyms and related words
The armed forces and armies
airborne
air force
air power

phrases

by/through force of circumstances

come/enter into force

a force to be reckoned with

come/enter into force

the forces of darkness/evil

the forces of nature

in force

join/combine forces

out of force of habit

force

verb transitive

UK /fɔː(r)s/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	force
he/she/it	forces
present participle	forcing
past tense	forced
past participle	forced

1
to make someone do something that they do not want to do, for example by using or threatening to use violence
force someone to do something:
He claims that police officers forced him to sign a confession.
Three judges have been forced to resign because of corruption scandals.
force yourself to do something:
Despite the pain, she forced herself to get out of bed.
force someone into doing something:
You can’t force him into going out with you.
force someone into/out of something:
Two men forced him into the back of the van.
Synonyms and related words
To nag or force someone to do something
nag
force
compel
1. 1a
  if an event or situation forces you to do something, you have to do it even if you do not want to
  force someone to do something:
  Bad health forced her to abandon her studies.
  force someone into/out of something:
  Lack of skills forces these young men into low-paid jobs.
  Falling sales eventually forced them out of business.
  Synonyms and related words
  To nag or force someone to do something
  nag
  force
  compel
2
to use physical force to move something in a particular direction
force something through/into/out of something:
She forced the package through the slot.
Use a strong jet of water to force blockages out of the pipe.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to try to move something by pushing
push
shove
heave
1. 2a
  to use physical force to open something that is locked
  Police say the back window has been forced.
  force something open:
  We had to force the door open.
  force a lock (=break it):
  If she doesn’t have a key, we’ll have to force the lock.
  Synonyms and related words
  To open or unlock something, or to come open
  open up
  open
  try
2. 2b
  to use physical strength to move somewhere by pushing people or things away
  force your way through/into something:
  She had to force her way through the crowd.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move, or to try to move something by pushing
  push
  shove
  heave
3
to make something happen
Opposition to the plans forced a rapid reversal of policy.
The Knicks scored in the closing seconds, forcing the game into overtime.
Synonyms and related words
To make something start to exist or happen
bring about
trigger
form
4
to make a plant grow faster than it would normally, for example by giving it extra heat or light
Synonyms and related words
Gardening
aerate
bed out
bonsai

phrases

force someone’s hand

force the issue

force the pace

force a smile/laugh

phrasal verbs

force back

force down

force on/upon

force out of

force through

force up

force

verb transitive

US /fɔrs/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	force
he/she/it	forces
present participle	forcing
past tense	forced
past participle	forced

1
to make someone do something that they do not want to do, for example by using or threatening to use violence
force someone to do something:
He claims that police officers forced him to sign a confession.
Three judges have been forced to resign because of corruption scandals.
force yourself to do something:
Despite the pain, she forced herself to get out of bed.
force someone into doing something:
You can’t force him into going out with you.
force someone into/out of something:
Two men forced him into the back of the van.
Synonyms and related words
To nag or force someone to do something
shanghai
nag
force
1. 1a
  if an event or situation forces you to do something, you have to do it even if you do not want to
  force someone to do something:
  Bad health forced her to abandon her studies.
  force someone into/out of something:
  Lack of skills forces these young men into low-paid jobs.
  Falling sales eventually forced them out of business.
  Synonyms and related words
  To nag or force someone to do something
  shanghai
  nag
  force
2
to use physical force to move something in a particular direction
force something through/into/out of something:
She forced the package through the slot.
Use a strong jet of water to force blockages out of the pipe.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to try to move something by pushing
push
shove
heave
1. 2a
  to use physical force to open something that is locked
  Police say the back window has been forced.
  force something open:
  We had to force the door open.
  force a lock (=break it):
  If she doesn’t have a key, we’ll have to force the lock.
  Synonyms and related words
  To open or unlock something, or to come open
  open up
  undo
  unlock
2. 2b
  to use physical strength to move somewhere by pushing people or things away
  force your way through/into something:
  She had to force her way through the crowd.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move, or to try to move something by pushing
  push
  shove
  heave
3
to make something happen
Opposition to the plans forced a rapid reversal of policy.
The Knicks scored in the closing seconds, forcing the game into overtime.
Synonyms and related words
To make something start to exist or happen
bring about
start off
create
4
to make a plant grow faster than it would normally, for example by giving it extra heat or light
Synonyms and related words
Gardening
aerate
bed out
bonsai

phrases

force someone’s hand

force the issue

force the pace

force a smile/laugh

phrasal verbs

force back

force down

force on/upon

force out of

force through

force up

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the force

the Forces

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the force

the Forces

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force

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