# forced

/ˈfɔɹst/ (US) · /fˈɔːst/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. not natural or sincere

adjective · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: produced by effort or strain rather than being spontaneous or sincere.

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

adjective · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: resulting from compulsion or external necessity.

- The heavy snow led to the forced cancellation of all flights.
- The company's restructuring resulted in the forced redundancy of several long-term employees who had hoped to retire there.

### 3. opened by power

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- The police found a forced window at the back of the house.
- Investigators noted that the safe showed signs of a forced entry, suggesting the burglars had used heavy machinery to bypass the lock.

## Examples

- The heavy rain forced us to stay inside all day.
- The sudden loss of funding forced the charity to cancel its annual summer camp for local children.
- While the CEO preferred a gradual transition, the board of directors forced an immediate resignation to appease the company's nervous shareholders.

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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.