# force

/ˈfɔɹs/ (US) · /fˈɔːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/force
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. physical power

noun · CEFR B1

physical strength or energy that can move or change something.

For teachers: physical power or intensity exerted by a person, object, or natural phenomenon.

- The force of the wind was so strong that it blew down several trees.
- The sheer force of the impact crushed the front of the vehicle, though the safety features protected the passengers from serious injury.

### 2. physics

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a push or pull on an object that makes it move or change direction.

For teachers: a vector quantity that tends to produce an acceleration of a body in the direction of its application.

- Gravity is the force that keeps our feet on the ground.
- The experiment measures the gravitational force between two masses to determine the constant with greater precision.

### 3. an organized group

noun · CEFR B1

a group of people organized for a specific job, like the police or the army.

For teachers: a body of people trained and armed for military or police duties.

- He decided to join the police force after finishing university.
- The peacekeeping force was deployed to the border to monitor the ceasefire and prevent further escalations of violence.

### 4. legal validity

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the state of being officially or legally active.

For teachers: the state of being legally valid or in operation.

- The new law comes into force starting next month.
- The treaty remains in force until such time as a majority of the signatory nations vote for its dissolution.

### 5. Star Wars

noun · CEFR B1 · Humorous

a mysterious power used by characters in the Star Wars movies.

For teachers: a metaphysical power or energy field in the Star Wars fictional universe.

- May the Force be with you.
- The protagonist's journey involves learning to harness the Force to restore balance to the galaxy.

### 6. to compel

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone do something they do not want to do.

For teachers: to compel or oblige someone to act in a certain way, often through pressure or threats.

- You cannot force him to eat his vegetables if he really hates them.
- The economic crisis may force the government to implement unpopular austerity measures to secure the international loan.

### 7. to break open

verb · CEFR B2

to use physical strength to open something that is locked or stuck.

For teachers: to break open or through something by using physical violence or pressure.

- The firefighters had to force the door open to reach the family.
- The burglars managed to force the safe, though they were interrupted by the alarm before they could remove the contents.

## Examples

- The force of the wind blew the roof off the house.
- The police had to use force to open the locked door and rescue the trapped family.
- The treaty was signed under the threat of military force, raising questions about its legitimacy under international law.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.