<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>physical power or strength possessed by a living being: He used all his force in opening the window.</li><li>strength or power exerted upon a person; physical coercion; violence: The campus police are legally authorized to use force to defend themselves or others.</li><li>strength; energy; power; intensity: She had a personality of great force that helped her succeed as a leader.</li><li>Synonyms: vigor</li><li>power to influence, affect, or control; efficacious power: They were strangers brought together by the force of circumstances.</li><li>a power or right delegated or given; authorization: Who has the authority to grant permission?</li><li>an accepted source of information, advice, etc.: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the leading authority on vaccines and immunizations.</li><li>a statute, court rule, or judicial decision that establishes a rule or principle of law; a ruling.</li><li>persuasive power; power to convince: They felt the force of his arguments.</li><li>Synonyms: validity, potency, cogency, effectiveness, efficacy</li><li>Antonyms: impotence</li><li>mental or moral strength: It requires great force of character to go against the crowd.</li><li>might, as of a ruler or realm; strength for war: The government hoped a show of force at sea would prevent an invasion by scaring off the opposing side.</li><li>Often forces or Forces. the people and resources that make up the military, especially of a nation: After the surrender, the invaders withdrew the majority of their forces, but left garrisons in place.</li><li>Often the force or the Force. the police force: She was a police officer for twenty years, but retired from the force a year ago.</li><li>intensity or strength of effect: The force of her acting was such that I nearly forgot I was watching a film.</li><li>Physics. an influence on a body or system, producing or tending to produce a change in movement or in shape or other effects.</li><li>binding power, as of a contract or law: The Data Protection Act 2018 was passed by the British Parliament in 2016 and came into force on May 25, 2018.</li><li>value; significance; meaning: The force of his message was lost on me—I didn't understand a word he said.</li><li>Baseball. force play (def).</li><li>Billiards. a sharp stroke hitting a cue ball directly below the center in such a manner as to cause it to stop abruptly, bound back, or roll off to one side after hitting the object ball.</li><li>the Force, in the fictional Star Wars universe, a metaphysical energy that connects all living things and can be used for feats such as telekinesis, telepathy, influencing the minds of others, etc.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>forced, forcing. to compel, constrain, or oblige (oneself or another person) to do something: They lied to force the suspect to confess.</li><li>Synonyms: coerce</li><li>to drive or propel against resistance: He forced his way through the crowd.</li><li>to bring about or effect by force: The general's gunboats attacked the fort on February 6, and forced a surrender.</li><li>to put or impose (something or someone) forcibly on a person: His habit of forcing his opinions on others made him difficult to work with.</li><li>to obtain or draw forth by or as if by force; extort: They forced a testimony out of the reluctant witness.</li><li>to break open (a door, lock, etc.): The thieves forced the lock, so we'll have to completely replace it.</li><li>to cause (plants, fruits, etc.) to grow or mature at an increased rate by artificial means: You can force rhubarb for an earlier harvest by covering the crowns in the late winter.</li><li>to enter or take by force; overpower: They forced the town after a long siege.</li><li>Synonyms: rape, plunder, violate, overcome</li><li>to press, urge, or exert to violent effort or to the utmost: The auctioneer displays refreshing charm and wit as he forces the bidding and drives the price higher and higher.</li><li>to use force upon.</li><li>to compel (a player) to trump by leading a suit of which the player has no cards.</li><li>to compel (a player) to play so as to make known the strength of the hand.</li><li>to develop (a print or negative) for longer than usual in order to increase density or bring out details.</li><li>to bring out underexposed parts of (a print or negative) by adding alkali to the developer.</li><li>Archaic. to give force to; strengthen; reinforce.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>forced, forcing. to make one's way by force: He saw her car force through the crowd.</li></ul>