Perforce

//pɚˈfɔɹs// adv, verb

adv, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To force; to compel. obsolete
Adverb
  1. 1
    By constraint of circumstances; of necessity; as a matter of course. not-comparable

    "Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own were perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could.."

  2. 2
    By force. archaic, not-comparable

    "If ſhe denie, Lord Hastings goe with him, And from her iealous Armes pluck him perforce."

Adverb
  1. 1
    by necessity; by force of circumstance wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
;come what mayineluctablyinescapablyinevitablymandatorily

Example

More examples

"This had been done without her advice being asked, and must perforce be disapproved."

Etymology

From Middle English par force, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French par force (“by force”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.