What does "forced" mean?

1. (not natural or sincere) not natural or sincere; you do it because you feel you have to. 2. (done by necessity) done because you are made to do it or have no other choice. 3. (opened by power) opened using physical power or tools, usually because it was locked.

forced

adj.

US //ˈfɔɹst// UK //fˈɔːst// forced

1 not natural or sincere (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

not natural or sincere; you do it because you feel you have to.

produced by effort or strain rather than being spontaneous or sincere.

Example

She gave a forced smile even though she was actually quite annoyed.

Example

The comedian's performance felt forced, as if he were reciting lines from memory rather than engaging with the audience's energy.
2 done by necessity (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

done because you are made to do it or have no other choice.

resulting from compulsion or external necessity.

Example

The heavy snow led to the forced cancellation of all flights.

Example

The company's restructuring resulted in the forced redundancy of several long-term employees who had hoped to retire there.
- voluntary
- optional

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3 opened by power (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

opened using physical power or tools, usually because it was locked.

opened or accessed through the application of physical strength or mechanical leverage.

Example

The police found a forced window at the back of the house.

Example

Investigators noted that the safe showed signs of a forced entry, suggesting the burglars had used heavy machinery to bypass the lock.
- broken
- pried