Force (noun) — physical power or strength; an organised group of people working together (e.g. a police force).
Force (verb) — to make someone do something they do not want to do; to push or move something using physical strength.
What Does Force Mean?
Force entered English in the 13th century from Old French force, itself derived from Latin fortis meaning "strong". This root connects force to a large family of English words: fort (a strong defensive building), fortify (to strengthen), comfort (literally to strengthen together), and effort (a striving-forward of strength). Recognising this shared root can help you expand your vocabulary rapidly.
As a noun, force covers three main areas: physical energy or power ("the force of the impact"), an organised body of people ("the armed forces", "the workforce"), and an influential pressure or factor ("market forces", "the driving force behind change"). In physics, force is a precise technical term — the push or pull on an object, measured in newtons.
As a verb, force means to compel someone to act against their will ("They were forced to wait") or to push something into position using physical effort ("He forced the lid open"). It nearly always implies resistance — either from a person or from a physical object.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| The wind was so strong that it knocked the fence down. | A2 — wind as a natural force (described indirectly) |
| The teacher forced the students to redo the exercise. | B1 — force + object + to-infinitive |
| She was forced to change her plans at the last minute. | B1 — passive voice: be forced to + infinitive |
| The government used force to remove protesters from the square. | B2 — force as noun meaning physical power applied by authority |
| Economic forces beyond our control have reshaped the entire industry over the past decade. | C1 — forces in the plural, abstract sense; formal register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning & example |
|---|---|
| brute force | Raw physical strength, with no skill: He opened the safe by brute force. |
| driving force | The main cause or motivation behind something: She was the driving force behind the project. |
| come into force | A law or rule officially begins to apply: The new regulations come into force in January. |
| by force | Using physical power, not persuasion: The door was opened by force. |
| join forces | To cooperate with someone towards a shared goal: The two charities joined forces to raise awareness. |
| force of habit | Doing something automatically because you always do it: I locked the door out of force of habit. |
| air force | A country's military aviation service: She joined the Royal Air Force at eighteen. |
| police force | An organised body of police officers: The local police force launched an investigation. |
| force a smile | To smile when you do not feel happy: He forced a smile despite his disappointment. |
| workforce | All the people employed in a company or country: The factory employs a workforce of two thousand people. |
Usage Notes
Key Grammar Patterns
- force + object + to-infinitive — the most common verb pattern: The deadline forced us to work faster.
- be forced to + infinitive (passive) — very common in formal and news contexts: The company was forced to close.
- force + noun phrase — for physical actions: She forced the window open. He forced his way through the crowd.
- When force is a noun meaning an organised group, it is often plural: the armed forces, security forces, market forces.
- The phrase in force has two distinct meanings: (1) in large numbers (Supporters arrived in force); (2) currently applicable as a rule (The ban is still in force).
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
The manager forced us leaving early. (gerund after force is incorrect)
The manager forced us to leave early. (force + object + to-infinitive)
She was forced leaving her job. (passive also needs to-infinitive)
She was forced to leave her job.
They used force for removing the debris. (prefer infinitive or noun phrase)
They used force to remove the debris.