force of necessity

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "force of necessity" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where actions are taken or decisions are made due to unavoidable circumstances or urgent needs. Example: "In the force of necessity, we had to adapt our plans to ensure the project's success despite the challenges we faced."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It claims the force of necessity.

The Guardian - Books

Within the England camp, Crabtree, through force of necessity, gets some special treatment.

Independent

By Peter Schjeldahl The conservation room in the Whitney's new building, designed by Renzo Piano, who worked from "the logic of the force of necessity" to fulfill the needs of the curators and the staff.

The New Yorker

He described a five-year design process for the Whitney, during which, accepting "the logic of the force of necessity," he sought to fulfill the wishes of the curators and the staff.

The New Yorker

Each of the four senses of 'qua' discussed in the next lines joins properties with the force of necessity and is used in sign-inferences (xxxiii 24-29).

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

We generally take arguments built around practical necessity to be responsible to and modulated by the urgency and force of the necessity.

SEP

Euclidean plane geometry builds on intuitions so compelling that they were believed for centuries to have the force of logical necessity.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

And you are often driven by sheer force of modeling necessity to think of the economy as having at least vaguely "evolutionary" dynamics, in which initial conditions and accidents along the way may determine where you end up.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ockham retreated from Scotus' view, reassigning contingency to future events and reasserting the full force of hypothetical necessity for events in the present.

SEP

With the fall of the Berlin Wall, Einaudi said, democracy had acquired the "force of historical necessity".

Huffington Post

But, the underlying point, in comparing Murkowski and Castle, is that we may be seeing a movement of moderate Republicans becoming Independents, forced out of necessity to create an unofficial "third party" movement.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "force of necessity", ensure the context clearly demonstrates that the action or decision was genuinely unavoidable and not merely a matter of convenience or preference.

Common error

Avoid using "force of necessity" to justify actions that have alternative solutions or are not truly unavoidable. Overusing the phrase can weaken its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "force of necessity" functions as a noun phrase that describes a situation where an action or decision is driven by unavoidable or compelling circumstances. As evidenced by Ludwig's examples, it often acts as an explanation or justification for a particular course of action.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "force of necessity" is a noun phrase used to describe situations where actions are compelled by unavoidable circumstances. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, although its usage is relatively rare. The phrase appears in neutral to formal contexts like news articles, academic papers, and books. When writing, ensure you are not overstating the inevitability. Alternatives like "compelling need" or "unavoidable obligation" might be more appropriate depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

compelling need

Focuses on the urgency and unavoidability of the situation, highlighting the lack of alternatives.

unavoidable obligation

Emphasizes the compulsory nature of the action, suggesting a duty that cannot be escaped.

dire requirement

Highlights the severity and critical nature of the need, suggesting a potentially catastrophic outcome if unmet.

pressing demand

Underscores the immediate and insistent nature of the need, emphasizing the urgency for action.

exigent circumstances

Refers to a set of conditions that demand immediate action or attention, often used in legal or formal contexts.

inescapable imperative

Stresses the unavoidable and mandatory nature of the action, suggesting a moral or ethical obligation.

urgent compulsion

Combines the elements of immediate need and internal drive, emphasizing the compelling nature of the situation.

critical exigency

Highlights the critical and urgent nature of the situation, emphasizing the need for immediate action to avert a crisis.

uncircumventable need

Focuses on the impossibility of avoiding or bypassing the need, stressing its inescapable nature.

imperative situation

Highlights the commanding and crucial nature of the situation, emphasizing the necessity for immediate action.

FAQs

How can I use "force of necessity" in a sentence?

You can use "force of necessity" to describe situations where actions are dictated by unavoidable circumstances. For example, "Due to the "force of necessity", the company had to lay off employees to stay afloat."

What are some alternatives to "force of necessity"?

Alternatives include "compelling need", "unavoidable obligation", or "urgent compulsion", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "by necessity" or "force of necessity"?

"By necessity" is a more concise and frequently used alternative to "force of necessity". Both are grammatically correct, but "by necessity" may sound more natural in many contexts.

What's the difference between "force of necessity" and "out of necessity"?

"Force of necessity" refers to the compelling or unavoidable circumstances that drive a decision, while "out of necessity" describes the action taken as a result of those circumstances. They are related but used in slightly different ways.