What does "forcing" mean?

1. (using pressure or power) making someone do something they do not want to do, or using physical strength to move something. 2. (gardening) growing plants or flowers earlier in the year than usual by using heat or light. 3. (climate science) a change in the energy balance of the Earth, often causing temperatures to rise. 4. (card games) in games like bridge, a move that requires your partner to keep playing.

forcing

v. · n. · adj.

US //ˈfɔɹsɪŋ// UK //fˈɔːsɪŋ// forc·ing

1 using pressure or power (v.)
B1 Intermediate

making someone do something they do not want to do, or using physical strength to move something.

the act of compelling an agent to act against their will or using physical exertion to overcome resistance.

Example

The company was forcing its employees to work late every night without extra pay.

Example

By forcing the issue during the board meeting, the CEO effectively silenced the opposition before they could present their counter-arguments.
- compelling
- pressuring
- coercing
- allowing
- permitting
2 gardening (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Cooking

growing plants or flowers earlier in the year than usual by using heat or light.

the horticultural practice of inducing a plant to grow or bloom outside of its natural season, typically through temperature control.

Example

Forcing rhubarb in the dark makes it grow faster and taste sweeter.

Example

The commercial nursery specialises in the forcing of lilies to ensure a steady supply for the early spring market.
- accelerating
- cultivating
3 climate science (n.)
C1 Advanced Academic Technical Science

a change in the energy balance of the Earth, often causing temperatures to rise.

the influence that a factor has on the amount of energy that the Earth receives or loses.

Example

Scientists study how greenhouse gases contribute to climate forcing.

Example

Radiative forcing is a key metric used to quantify the impact of various atmospheric constituents on the global energy budget.
- influence
- driver
4 card games (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Technical

in games like bridge, a move that requires your partner to keep playing.

describing a bid or play that obligates a partner to continue the sequence rather than passing.

Example

He made a forcing bid, so his partner had to describe her hand further.

Example

The responder's jump shift is a forcing move in this system, ensuring the auction remains open until a game-level contract is reached.
- obligatory
- binding
- non forcing

Origin

By surface analysis, force + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026