The act, condition, or effect of exerting force on someone or something

• tension

  1. The act or process of stretching something tight.
  2. The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
  3. A force tending to stretch or elongate something.

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  1. The act or process of stretching something tight.
  2. The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
  3. A force tending to stretch or elongate something.

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• stress

  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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• strain

  1. To pull, draw, or stretch tight:
  2. To cause distortion of (a body's parts or shape) by applying an external force; deform.
  3. To exert, use, or tax to the utmost:

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  1. To pull, draw, or stretch tight:
  2. To cause distortion of (a body's parts or shape) by applying an external force; deform.
  3. To exert, use, or tax to the utmost:

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Power used to overcome resistance

• violence

  1. Behavior or treatment in which physical force is exerted for the purpose of causing damage or injury:
  2. Intense force or great power, as in natural phenomena:
  3. Extreme or powerful emotion or expression:

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  1. Behavior or treatment in which physical force is exerted for the purpose of causing damage or injury:
  2. Intense force or great power, as in natural phenomena:
  3. Extreme or powerful emotion or expression:

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• strength

  1. The state or quality of being strong; physical power or capacity:
  2. The capacity to resist attack; impregnability:
  3. The capacity to resist strain or stress; durability:

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  1. The state or quality of being strong; physical power or capacity:
  2. The capacity to resist attack; impregnability:
  3. The capacity to resist strain or stress; durability:

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• force

  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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• duress

  1. Compulsion by threat or violence; coercion:
  2. Constraint or difficulty caused by misfortune:
  3. A fraud achieved through the use of a threat or compulsion:

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  1. Compulsion by threat or violence; coercion:
  2. Constraint or difficulty caused by misfortune:
  3. A fraud achieved through the use of a threat or compulsion:

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• constraint

  1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
  2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds:
  3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check:

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  1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
  2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds:
  3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check:

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• compulsion

  1. The act of compelling.
  2. The state of being compelled.
  3. An irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the rationality of the motivation:

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  1. The act of compelling.
  2. The state of being compelled.
  3. An irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the rationality of the motivation:

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• coercion

  1. The act or practice of coercing.
  2. Power or ability to coerce.

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  1. The act or practice of coercing.
  2. Power or ability to coerce.

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To cause (a person or thing) to act or move in spite of resistance

• oblige

  1. To compel or require (someone) to do something, as by circumstance or legality:
  2. To make indebted or grateful:
  3. To do a service or favor for:

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  1. To compel or require (someone) to do something, as by circumstance or legality:
  2. To make indebted or grateful:
  3. To do a service or favor for:

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• obligate

  1. To compel or constrain by a social, legal, or moral requirement.
  2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige:
  3. To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

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  1. To compel or constrain by a social, legal, or moral requirement.
  2. To cause to be grateful or indebted; oblige:
  3. To commit (money, for example) in order to fulfill an obligation.

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• make

  1. To cause to exist or happen; bring about; create:
  2. To bring into existence by shaping, modifying, or putting together material; construct:
  3. To form by assembling individuals or constituents:

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  1. To cause to exist or happen; bring about; create:
  2. To bring into existence by shaping, modifying, or putting together material; construct:
  3. To form by assembling individuals or constituents:

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• force

  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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• constrain

  1. To keep within certain limits; confine or limit:
  2. To inhibit or restrain; hold back:
  3. To compel by physical, moral, or circumstantial force; oblige:

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  1. To keep within certain limits; confine or limit:
  2. To inhibit or restrain; hold back:
  3. To compel by physical, moral, or circumstantial force; oblige:

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• compel

  1. To force (a person) to do something; drive or constrain:
  2. To necessitate or require, as by force of circumstance; demand:
  3. To exert a strong, irresistible force on; sway:

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  1. To force (a person) to do something; drive or constrain:
  2. To necessitate or require, as by force of circumstance; demand:
  3. To exert a strong, irresistible force on; sway:

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• coerce

  1. To pressure, intimidate, or force (someone) into doing something.
  2. To bring about or gain by pressure, threat, or force:

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  1. To pressure, intimidate, or force (someone) into doing something.
  2. To bring about or gain by pressure, threat, or force:

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To maintain normal air pressure in

• pressurize

  1. To maintain normal air pressure in (an enclosure, as an aircraft or submarine).
  2. To cause to have or function at greater than normal air or gas pressure:
  3. To put (gas or liquid) under a greater than normal pressure.

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  1. To maintain normal air pressure in (an enclosure, as an aircraft or submarine).
  2. To cause to have or function at greater than normal air or gas pressure:
  3. To put (gas or liquid) under a greater than normal pressure.

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Physical pressure

• squeeze

  1. To press hard on or together; compress:
  2. To press gently, as in affection:
  3. To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid:

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  1. To press hard on or together; compress:
  2. To press gently, as in affection:
  3. To exert pressure on, as by way of extracting liquid:

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• shear

  1. To remove (fleece or hair) by cutting or clipping.
  2. To remove the hair or fleece from.
  3. To cut with or as if with shears:

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  1. To remove (fleece or hair) by cutting or clipping.
  2. To remove the hair or fleece from.
  3. To cut with or as if with shears:

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• tension

  1. The act or process of stretching something tight.
  2. The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
  3. A force tending to stretch or elongate something.

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  1. The act or process of stretching something tight.
  2. The condition of so being stretched; tautness.
  3. A force tending to stretch or elongate something.

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• thrust

  1. To push or drive quickly and forcefully:
  2. To cause to project or extend:
  3. To force into a specified condition or situation:

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  1. To push or drive quickly and forcefully:
  2. To cause to project or extend:
  3. To force into a specified condition or situation:

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• stress

  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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• encumbrance

  1. something that encumbers; hindrance; obstruction; burden
  2. a dependent, esp. a child
  3. a lien, charge, or claim attached to real property, as a mortgage

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  1. something that encumbers; hindrance; obstruction; burden
  2. a dependent, esp. a child
  3. a lien, charge, or claim attached to real property, as a mortgage

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• load

  1. A weight or mass that is supported:
  2. The overall force to which a structure is subjected in supporting a weight or mass or in resisting externally applied forces.
  3. Something that is carried, as by a vehicle, person, or animal:

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  1. A weight or mass that is supported:
  2. The overall force to which a structure is subjected in supporting a weight or mass or in resisting externally applied forces.
  3. Something that is carried, as by a vehicle, person, or animal:

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• mass

  1. A unified body of matter with no specific shape:
  2. A grouping of individual parts or elements that compose a unified body of unspecified size or quantity:
  3. A large but nonspecific amount or number:

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  1. A unified body of matter with no specific shape:
  2. A grouping of individual parts or elements that compose a unified body of unspecified size or quantity:
  3. A large but nonspecific amount or number:

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• burden

  1. Something that is carried.
  2. Something that is emotionally difficult to bear.
  3. A source of great worry or stress; weight:

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  1. Something that is carried.
  2. Something that is emotionally difficult to bear.
  3. A source of great worry or stress; weight:

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• force

  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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  1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power:
  2. Power made operative against resistance; exertion:
  3. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain:

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Social pressure

• discipline

  1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement:
  2. Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order:
  3. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control:

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  1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement:
  2. Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order:
  3. Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control:

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• obligation

  1. A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise, that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action:
  2. The constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty:
  3. A document in which a person binds himself or herself to undertake or refrain from doing a particular act.

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  1. A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise, that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action:
  2. The constraining power of a promise, contract, law, or sense of duty:
  3. A document in which a person binds himself or herself to undertake or refrain from doing a particular act.

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• unnaturalness

  1. The state of being unnatural.

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  1. The state of being unnatural.

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• confinement

  1. The act of confining or the state of being confined.
  2. Lying-in.

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  1. The act of confining or the state of being confined.
  2. Lying-in.

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• repression

  1. The act of repressing or the state of being repressed.
  2. The unconscious exclusion of painful impulses, desires, or fears from the conscious mind.

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  1. The act of repressing or the state of being repressed.
  2. The unconscious exclusion of painful impulses, desires, or fears from the conscious mind.

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• requirement

  1. Something that is required; a necessity.
  2. Something obligatory; a prerequisite.

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  1. Something that is required; a necessity.
  2. Something obligatory; a prerequisite.

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• necessity

  1. The condition or quality of being necessary.
  2. Something necessary:
  3. Something dictated by invariable physical laws.

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  1. The condition or quality of being necessary.
  2. Something necessary:
  3. Something dictated by invariable physical laws.

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• misfortune

  1. Bad fortune or ill luck.
  2. The condition resulting from bad fortune or ill luck:
  3. A distressing occurrence:

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  1. Bad fortune or ill luck.
  2. The condition resulting from bad fortune or ill luck:
  3. A distressing occurrence:

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• humiliation

  1. The act of humiliating; degradation.
  2. The state of being humiliated or disgraced; shame.
  3. A humiliating condition or circumstance.

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  1. The act of humiliating; degradation.
  2. The state of being humiliated or disgraced; shame.
  3. A humiliating condition or circumstance.

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• hardship

  1. The condition of lacking necessities or comforts; privation or suffering.
  2. A thing or circumstance that causes ongoing or persistent suffering or difficulty:

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  1. The condition of lacking necessities or comforts; privation or suffering.
  2. A thing or circumstance that causes ongoing or persistent suffering or difficulty:

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• trouble

  1. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:
  2. A distressing or difficult circumstance or situation:
  3. A cause or source of distress, disturbance, or difficulty:

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  1. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:
  2. A distressing or difficult circumstance or situation:
  3. A cause or source of distress, disturbance, or difficulty:

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• coercion

  1. The act or practice of coercing.
  2. Power or ability to coerce.

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  1. The act or practice of coercing.
  2. Power or ability to coerce.

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• affliction

  1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress:
  2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress:

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  1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress:
  2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress:

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• stress

  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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  1. Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
  2. The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
  3. The emphasis placed on the sound or syllable spoken most forcefully in a word or phrase.

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• persuasion

  1. The act of persuading or the state of being persuaded:
  2. The ability or power to persuade:
  3. A strongly held opinion; a conviction:

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  1. The act of persuading or the state of being persuaded:
  2. The ability or power to persuade:
  3. A strongly held opinion; a conviction:

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• demand

  1. To ask for urgently or peremptorily:
  2. To claim as just or due:
  3. To ask to be informed of:

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  1. To ask for urgently or peremptorily:
  2. To claim as just or due:
  3. To ask to be informed of:

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• urgency

  1. The quality or condition of being urgent; pressing importance:
  2. A pressing necessity.

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  1. The quality or condition of being urgent; pressing importance:
  2. A pressing necessity.

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• constraint

  1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
  2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds:
  3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check:

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  1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
  2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds:
  3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check:

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• compulsion

  1. The act of compelling.
  2. The state of being compelled.
  3. An irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the rationality of the motivation:

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  1. The act of compelling.
  2. The state of being compelled.
  3. An irresistible impulse to act, regardless of the rationality of the motivation:

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