Force vs. Strength: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 2, 2023
"Force" refers to an exertion of energy or a strength-induced influence, often directional, while "Strength" denotes the capacity or quality of being physically strong or potent, without implied motion or application.
Key Differences
"Force" inherently conveys a sense of movement or action, being an influence that can cause an object to be altered in shape, direction, or state of motion. In contrast, "Strength" illuminates a condition or property of an object or individual, signifying the potential or inherent capacity to exert force, resist breakdown, or perform robustly. Both encapsulate aspects of physicality and potency but diverge in application and implication.
Within the physical and scientific realm, "Force" is defined as something with the capability to alter a state or path of an object, usually quantifiable and directional, obeying Newton's laws. Whereas "Strength" commonly implies a measure of durability or the capability of an object or being to endure an applied force without succumbing to it. Thus, force applies a push or pull, while strength withstands or resists such physical influences.
Conceptually, "Force" can embody an exertion of power that compels or restrains, which could be physical, moral, or psychological. On the other hand, "Strength" might represent the intrinsic vigor or might of an entity, not necessarily applied or exerted. Though both can describe physical or intangible attributes, force typically illustrates an applied energy, while strength might remain dormant or potential.
Metaphorically and symbolically, "Force" often symbolizes coercion or imposition, speaking to scenarios where power is asserted or manifested outwardly. Contrastingly, "Strength" can symbolize resilience, fortitude, or internal power, which might not necessarily be outwardly visible or imposed upon others. Both offer valuable layers of meaning in language, embodying various aspects of power, influence, and might, each with its nuanced distinctions.
Comparison Chart
Basic Definition
A push or pull on an object resulting in its movement or change in shape
The quality or state of being physically strong
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Use in Idiomatic Expression
"Force of habit" implies an automatic or ingrained pattern
"Strength to strength" suggests continual improvement or advancement
Associated Verbs
Exert, apply, push, pull
Build, demonstrate, exhibit, show
Compound/Modified Words
Forceful, force-feed, forcible
Strengthless, strengthen, strong-willed
Synonyms
Power, pressure, tension
Might, fortitude, vigor, power
Force and Strength Definitions
Force
A physical or moral strength or power.
His words carried a force that resonated with all who heard them.
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Strength
A good or beneficial quality or attribute.
Patience is one of her greatest strengths.
Force
The magnitude of such a physical influence on an object.
The scientist calculated the force required to lift the weight.
Strength
A source of power or encouragement; sustenance.
Her family was her strength during difficult times.
Force
The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power
The force of an explosion.
Strength
The state or quality of being strong; physical power or capacity
The strength needed to lift a box.
Force
Power made operative against resistance; exertion
Use force in driving a nail.
Strength
The capacity to resist attack; impregnability
The strength of the ship's armor.
Force
The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain
A confession obtained by force.
Strength
The capacity to resist strain or stress; durability
The strength of the cables.
Force
Intellectual power or vigor, especially as conveyed in writing or speech.
Strength
The ability to deal with difficult situations or to maintain a moral or intellectual position
Does he have the strength to overcome such a tragedy?.
Force
Moral strength.
Strength
The number of people constituting a normal or ideal organization
The police force has been at half strength since the budget cuts.
Force
A capacity for affecting the mind or behavior; efficacy
The force of logical argumentation.
Strength
Capability in terms of numbers or resources
An army of fearsome strength.
Force
One that possesses such capacity
The forces of evil.
Strength
An attribute or quality of particular worth or utility; an asset
Your easygoing nature is one of your strengths.
Force
A body of persons or other resources organized or available for a certain purpose
A large labor force.
Strength
One that is regarded as the embodiment of protective or supportive power; a support or mainstay
Her family has been her strength in difficult times.
Force
A person or group capable of influential action
A retired senator who is still a force in national politics.
Strength
Degree of concentration, distillation, or saturation
What's the strength of that cleaning solution?.
Force
Military strength.
Strength
Operative effectiveness or potency
The strength of the drug.
Force
A unit of a nation's military personnel, especially one deployed into combat
Our armed forces have at last engaged the enemy.
Strength
Intensity, as of sound or light
The strength of the wind.
Force
A vector quantity indicating the strength and direction of the capacity to accelerate a body. Newton's second law of motion states that a free body accelerates in the direction of the net force and that its acceleration is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to its mass.
Strength
Intensity of emotion or belief
The strength of feeling among the voters.
Force
See fundamental force.
Strength
Cogency or persuasiveness
The strength of his argument.
Force
(Baseball) A force play.
Strength
Effective or binding force; efficacy
The strength of an argument.
Force
To compel through pressure or necessity
I forced myself to practice daily. He was forced to take a second job.
Strength
Firmness of or a continuous rising tendency in prices, as of a currency or market.
Force
To gain by the use of force or coercion
Force a confession.
Strength
(Games) Power derived from the value of playing cards held.
Force
To move or effect against resistance or inertia
Forced my foot into the shoe.
Strength
The quality or degree of being strong.
It requires great strength to lift heavy objects.
Force
To inflict or impose relentlessly
He forced his ideas upon the group.
Strength
The intensity of a force or power; potency.
He had the strength of ten men.
Force
To put undue strain on
She forced her voice despite being hoarse.
Strength
The strongest part of something; that on which confidence or reliance is based.
Force
To increase or accelerate (a pace, for example) to the maximum.
Strength
A positive attribute.
We all have our own strengths and weaknesses.
Force
To produce with effort and against one's will
Force a laugh in spite of pain.
Strength
(obsolete) An armed force, a body of troops.
Force
To use (language) with obvious lack of ease and naturalness.
Strength
(obsolete) A strong place; a stronghold.
Force
To move, open, or clear by force
Forced our way through the crowd.
Strength
(obsolete) To strengthen all senses.
Force
To break down or open by force
Force a lock.
Strength
The quality or state of being strong; ability to do or to bear; capacity for exertion or endurance, whether physical, intellectual, or moral; force; vigor; power; as, strength of body or of the arm; strength of mind, of memory, or of judgment.
All his [Samson's] strength in his hairs were.
Thou must outliveThy youth, thy strength, thy beauty.
Force
To rape.
Strength
Power to resist force; solidity or toughness; the quality of bodies by which they endure the application of force without breaking or yielding; - in this sense opposed to frangibility; as, the strength of a bone, of a beam, of a wall, a rope, and the like.
Force
To induce change in (a complex system) by changing one of its parameters
Greenhouse gases that force the earth's climate.
Strength
Power of resisting attacks; impregnability.
Force
(Botany) To cause to grow or mature by artificially accelerating normal processes.
Strength
That quality which tends to secure results; effective power in an institution or enactment; security; validity; legal or moral force; logical conclusiveness; as, the strength of social or legal obligations; the strength of law; the strength of public opinion; strength of evidence; strength of argument.
Force
To put (a runner) out on a force play.
Strength
One who, or that which, is regarded as embodying or affording force, strength, or firmness; that on which confidence or reliance is based; support; security.
God is our refuge and strength.
What they boded would be a mischief to us, you are providing shall be one of our principal strengths.
Certainly there is not a greater strength against temptation.
Force
To allow (a run) to be scored by walking a batter when the bases are loaded.
Strength
Force as measured; amount, numbers, or power of any body, as of an army, a navy, and the like; as, what is the strength of the enemy by land, or by sea?
Force
(Games) To cause an opponent to play (a particular card).
Strength
Vigor or style; force of expression; nervous diction; - said of literary work.
And praise the easy vigor of a lifeWhere Denham's strength and Waller's sweetness join.
Force
Strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect.
The force of an appeal, an argument, or a contract
Strength
Intensity; - said of light or color.
Bright Phœbus in his strength.
Force
Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
Strength
Intensity or degree of the distinguishing and essential element; spirit; virtue; excellence; - said of liquors, solutions, etc.; as, the strength of wine or of acids.
Force
(countable) Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
Strength
A strong place; a stronghold.
Force
A physical quantity that denotes ability to push, pull, twist or accelerate a body and which has a direction and is measured in a unit dimensioned in mass × distance/time² (ML/T²): SI: newton (N); CGS: dyne (dyn)
Strength
To strengthen.
Force
Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
Strength
The property of being physically or mentally strong;
Fatigue sapped his strength
Force
(countable) A group that aims to attack, control, or constrain.
Reinforcemented increased the American force in the area to 9,000
Police force
Strength
Capability in terms of personnel and materiel that affect the capacity to fight a war;
We faced an army of great strength
Politicians have neglected our military posture
Force
(uncountable) The ability to attack, control, or constrain.
Show of force
Strength
Physical energy or intensity;
He hit with all the force he could muster
It was destroyed by the strength of the gale
A government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man
Force
(countable) A magic trick in which the outcome is known to the magician beforehand, especially one involving the apparent free choice of a card by another person.
Strength
An asset of special worth or utility;
Cooking is his forte
Force
(legal) Legal validity.
The law will come into force in January.
Strength
The power to induce the taking of a course of action or the embracing of a point of view by means of argument or entreaty;
The strength of his argument settled the matter
Force
(legal) Either unlawful violence, as in a "forced entry", or lawful compulsion.
Strength
The amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation);
He adjusted the intensity of the sound
They measured the station's signal strength
Force
Ability of an utterance or its element (word, form, prosody, ...) to effect a given meaning.
Strength
Capacity to produce strong physiological or chemical effects;
The toxin's potency
The strength of the drinks
Force
|often|capitalized}}Star Wars A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
Strength
The condition of financial success;
The strength of the company's stock in recent weeks
Force
Synonym of police force
Strength
Permanence by virtue of the power to resist stress or force;
They advertised the durability of their products
Force
A waterfall or cascade.
Strength
The quality or state of being physically strong.
Her strength allowed her to lift the heavy box with ease.
Force
(transitive) To violate (a woman); to rape.
Strength
The capacity of an object or substance to withstand great force or pressure.
The strength of the metal was tested under extreme conditions.
Force
To exert oneself, to do one's utmost.
Strength
The potency or degree of an effect or substance.
The strength of the chili sauce had us all reaching for water.
Force
(transitive) To compel (someone or something) to do something.
Force
(transitive) To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
Force
(transitive) To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
Force
(transitive) To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.
The comedian's jokes weren't funny, but I forced a laugh now and then.
Force
(transitive) To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.).
To force a lock.
Force
To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
Force
To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
Jones forced the runner at second by stepping on the bag.
Force
(whist) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit that he/she does not hold.
Force
(archaic) To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
Force
(archaic) To provide with forces; to reinforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
Force
(obsolete) To allow the force of; to value; to care for.
Force
To stuff; to lard; to farce.
Force
To stuff; to lard; to farce.
Wit larded with malice, and malice forced with wit.
Force
To constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible; to compel by physical, moral, or intellectual means; to coerce; as, masters force slaves to labor.
Force
To compel, as by strength of evidence; as, to force conviction on the mind.
Force
To do violence to; to overpower, or to compel by violence to one's will; especially, to ravish; to violate; to commit rape upon.
To force their monarch and insult the court.
I should have forced thee soon wish other arms.
To force a spotless virgin's chastity.
Force
To obtain, overcome, or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress; as, to force the castle; to force a lock.
Force
To impel, drive, wrest, extort, get, etc., by main strength or violence; - with a following adverb, as along, away, from, into, through, out, etc.
It stuck so fast, so deeply buried layThat scarce the victor forced the steel away.
To force the tyrant from his seat by war.
Ethelbert ordered that none should be forced into religion.
Force
To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
What can the church force more?
Force
To exert to the utmost; to urge; hence, to strain; to urge to excessive, unnatural, or untimely action; to produce by unnatural effort; as, to force a conceit or metaphor; to force a laugh; to force fruits.
High on a mounting wave my head I bore,Forcing my strength, and gathering to the shore.
Force
To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit of which he has none.
Force
To provide with forces; to reënforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
Force
To allow the force of; to value; to care for.
For me, I force not argument a straw.
Force
To use violence; to make violent effort; to strive; to endeavor.
Forcing with gifts to win his wanton heart.
Force
To make a difficult matter of anything; to labor; to hesitate; hence, to force of, to make much account of; to regard.
Your oath once broke, you force not to forswear.
I force not of such fooleries.
Force
To be of force, importance, or weight; to matter.
It is not sufficient to have attained the name and dignity of a shepherd, not forcing how.
Force
A waterfall; a cascade.
To see the falls for force of the river Kent.
Force
Capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or energy; especially, power to persuade, or convince, or impose obligation; pertinency; validity; special signification; as, the force of an appeal, an argument, a contract, or a term.
He was, in the full force of the words, a good man.
Force
Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion; as, by force of arms; to take by force.
Which now they hold by force, and not by right.
Force
Strength or power for war; hence, a body of land or naval combatants, with their appurtenances, ready for action; - an armament; troops; warlike array; - often in the plural; hence, a body of men prepared for action in other ways; as, the laboring force of a plantation; the armed forces.
Is Lucius general of the forces?
Force
Strength or power exercised without law, or contrary to law, upon persons or things; violence.
Force
Any action between two bodies which changes, or tends to change, their relative condition as to rest or motion; or, more generally, which changes, or tends to change, any physical relation between them, whether mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, or of any other kind; as, the force of gravity; cohesive force; centrifugal force.
Thy tears are of no force to mollifyThis flinty man.
More huge in strength than wise in works he was.
Adam and first matron EveHad ended now their orisons, and foundStrength added from above, new hope to springOut of despair.
Force
A unit that is part of some military service;
He sent Caesar a force of six thousand men
Force
One possessing or exercising power or influence or authority;
The mysterious presence of an evil power
May the force be with you
The forces of evil
Force
(physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity;
Force equals mass times acceleration
Force
Group of people willing to obey orders;
A public force is necessary to give security to the rights of citizens
Force
A powerful effect or influence;
The force of his eloquence easily persuaded them
Force
An act of aggression (as one against a person who resists);
He may accomplish by craft in the long run what he cannot do by force and violence in the short one
Force
Physical energy or intensity;
He hit with all the force he could muster
It was destroyed by the strength of the gale
A government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man
Force
A group of people having the power of effective action;
He joined forces with a band of adventurers
Force
(of a law) having legal validity;
The law is still in effect
Force
To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :
She forced him to take a job in the city
He squeezed her for information
Force
Urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
Force
Move with force,
He pushed the table into a corner
Force
Impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably;
She forced her diet fads on him
Force
Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space;
I squeezed myself into the corner
Force
Force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically;
She rammed her mind into focus
He drives me mad
Force
Do forcibly; exert force;
Don't force it!
Force
Cause to move along the ground by pulling;
Draw a wagon
Pull a sled
Force
Take by force;
Storm the fort
Force
A push or pull that can change an object's motion or shape.
The child applied force to the toy car, making it zoom across the floor.
Force
Coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence.
The regime took control by force, disregarding the will of the people.
Force
A group organized for a particular activity, such as a police force.
The force worked diligently to maintain law and order during the protests.
FAQs
What does "in full force" mean?
It means "in large numbers" or "at full strength."
How is "force" used in legal terms?
"Force" in legal contexts can refer to unlawful physical violence or coercion (e.g., "use of force").
What does "force majeure" mean?
It's a legal term referring to unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract.
Can "force" mean to compel?
Yes, as a verb, "force" can mean to make someone do something against their will.
What does "force" mean in physics?
In physics, "force" refers to an interaction that, when unopposed, will change the motion of an object.
How does "force" differ from "pressure"?
"Force" is the overall push or pull on an object, while "pressure" is force applied per unit area.
Is "force" a noun or a verb?
"Force" can be both a noun (e.g., "a force of nature") and a verb (e.g., "to force open a door").
Is "force" related to power?
Yes, in some contexts, but they're distinct. "Force" is about push/pull interactions, while "power" often relates to energy or authority.
How does "strength" differ from "strong"?
"Strength" is the quality or state of being physically strong, while "strong" is an adjective describing something with great power or force.
What's a "task force"?
It's a group established to work on a single defined task or activity.
Can "strength" refer to character?
Yes, it can refer to mental or emotional qualities as in "strength of character."
What's the opposite of "strength"?
The opposite can be "weakness" or "fragility."
How does "strength" relate to "force"?
While both can refer to power or intensity, "strength" often denotes the capacity or potential for force.
Is "strength" used in measurements?
Yes, particularly in contexts like material science, it might refer to the resistance of a material to breaking under tension.
What does "on the strength of" mean?
It means based on or relying on something.
Is "workforce" related to "force"?
Yes, "workforce" refers to the people available for work in a particular area or industry.
How does "strength" function in fitness contexts?
In fitness, "strength" refers to the ability to exert force against resistance, as in strength training.
Is "strength" a noun?
Yes, "strength" is primarily used as a noun.
Can "strength" refer to a beneficial aspect?
Yes, as in "The strength of the proposal is its focus on sustainability."
Is "strength" related to "fortitude"?
Yes, both can refer to mental and emotional resilience, though "fortitude" emphasizes endurance in adversity.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
