Meaning & use
force
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountablephysics
A push or pull that can make an object start moving, stop, speed up, change direction or change shape.
Grammar: Countable for a specific force: the forces on a bridge.
Patterns
- the force of something
- force on something
The force of gravity pulls objects toward the ground.
A larger force is needed to move the heavy crate.
Friction is a force that slows a sliding box.
noununcountable
Physical strength or violent power used to make something happen.
Grammar: No plural here: the police used force.
Patterns
- by force
- use force
- the force of something
The door was opened by force.
The wind hit the house with great force.
Police may only use reasonable force.
nouncountable
A group of people organized for a purpose, especially soldiers or police.
Grammar: Often in names: the police force, armed forces.
Patterns
- a force of something
- join the force
She joined the police force at twenty-two.
A small force guarded the bridge.
The armed forces were sent to help after the flood.
verbtransitive
To make someone do something they do not want to do, or to make something happen by pressure.
Grammar: Often followed by to-infinitive or into: force him to leave; force him into leaving.
Patterns
- force someone to do something
- force someone into something
- force something open
Nobody can force you to sign the contract.
Heavy rain forced the match to be canceled.
He forced the window open with a screwdriver.
Word forms
| plural | forces |
|---|---|
| third person singular | forces |
| past tense | forced |
| past participle | forced |
| -ing form | forcing |
Common combinations
- force of gravity
- The force of gravity keeps the moon in orbit.
- use force
- They refused to use force.
- force someone's hand
- The deadline forced her hand.
- police force
- The police force opened a new station.
- force a smile
- She forced a smile despite her worry.
- in force
- The new rule is now in force.
Synonyms and how they differ
- strength
- Strength is a quality someone has, while a force is a push acting on something.
- compel
- Compel is a more formal verb and suggests strong obligation or necessity.
- pressure
- Pressure usually spreads over an area or is social, and is gentler than force.
- coerce
- Coerce means to force with threats and is stronger and more formal.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: force or power? force or fort?
force vs power
Power in physics is energy transferred per second, whereas force is a push or pull.
force vs fort
A fort is a defensive building and sounds similar, but it is not a push.
Practice
Which sentence uses force as a verb correctly?
Choose one answer.
Force as a verb takes an object followed by to plus a base verb. Only the second option has correct tense and pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “force”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.