1
as in coercing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
the public outcry from the scandal forced the mayor to resign road construction forced them to take an alternate route
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violating
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
was accused of forcing a woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forcing
That simple change would introduce real competition, allowing merchants to choose lower-cost options and forcing the dominant players to compete on price and service--just like any other market.
—
Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026
Jackson remains optimistic that Medicaid cuts will spur a public backlash against lawmakers, forcing Congress to reverse Medicaid cuts before additional layoffs are necessary.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
During their time there, Hildebrandt and Ruby punished and abused the two youngest kids by depriving them of food and water, isolating them from others and forcing them to do strenuous physical tasks, the Washington County Attorney’s Office claimed.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Given the lack of gravity, even a runny nose can turn into an extremely unpleasant experience, forcing astronauts to resort to unusual measures just to drain mucus from their nasal passages.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 8 Jan. 2026
That’s institutional investors snatching up homes by the hundreds and thousands at a time, crushing the dream of home ownership, and forcing rents too damn high for everyone else.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The biggest problem is with the bigs, a lack of rim protection forcing Cronin increasingly to go with smaller lineups in recent games.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Real Madrid and Barcelona shut out fans on police advice, underscoring how geopolitical tensions continue to spill into European sports — forcing elite competition behind closed doors.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026
With the sharp decline in migrants, the village's economy has taken a major hit, forcing residents back to traditional occupations.
—Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forcing
Verb
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This would likely mean seizing more resources inside Yemen—for example, by capturing the oil-rich governorate of Marib east of Sanaa—or by coercing Saudi Arabia into offering new financial concessions.—
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There were more damning allegations made by Burrowes against Diddy, which included Combs coercing Burrowes to make changes in Biggie’s record deal with Bad Boy to make the terms more lucrative and favorable for the label.—
Verb
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Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire.—
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The 22-year-old woman died while in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating dress codes.—
Verb
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In season four, Mike’s (Renner) control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town.—
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In Season 4 of Mayor of Kingstown, Mike’s (Renner) control over Kingstown is threatened as new players compete to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling him to confront the resulting gang war and stop them from swallowing the town.—
Verb
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Weinstein had previously been convicted of raping Mann in 2020, but the conviction was later thrown out, leading to the retrial.—
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One of those transferred, Tremaine Carroll, is awaiting trial on charges of raping two female inmates.—
Verb
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The unions argue that carrying out permanent layoffs during a funding lapse violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from obligating funds without congressional authorization, and exceeds executive authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.—
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This document, signed by a sponsor, is a legally enforceable contract obligating the sponsor to support the immigrant and prevent them from relying on public aid.—
Verb
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The suspect was later federally charged with assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.—
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She was charged with assaulting a federal officer, but federal prosecutors later dismissed the case after security camera video and body camera footage emerged showing a Border Patrol agent steering his vehicle into Martinez’s truck.—
Verb
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After obliging, the rapper started to riff by adding some new insults.—
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Even in that short call, Paulson masterfully rides a roller coaster of emotion, from being starstruck over Crawford, bullied into skipping her big moment, to obliging her out of pity.—
Verb
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Bain was as dominant as ever against the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl, producing a sack while pressuring Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin throughout.—
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And the United States, the world’s leading producer of both oil and natural gas, is now aggressively pressuring countries to keep buying and burning fossil fuels.—
Cite this Entry
“Forcing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forcing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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