Standard Lemma guide

force-feed

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To force a person or animal to ingest food, for example by stuffing food down the throat, or using a tube passed into the stomach.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • They were ordered to force-feed the prisoners on hunger strike.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

More broadly, also referring to forcing the drinking of a beverage or other liquid

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To force someone to take in information or accept an ideology.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The teachers at this school tend to force-feed their students information, rather than encourage critical thinking and debate.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

feed someone who will not or cannot eat

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: feed, give

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 強行餵食 /强行喂食 (qiángxíng wèishí) — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • Finnish: pakkosyöttää — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • French: gaver — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • French: alimenter de force — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • German: zwangsernähren — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • Russian: принуди́тельно корми́ть (prinudítelʹno kormítʹ) — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • Spanish: atacuñar / atocuñar / atucuñar (Americanism) — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • Swedish: tvångsmata — force a person or animal to ingest food
  • Chinese Mandarin: 填鴨式地灌輸 /填鸭式地灌输 (tiányāshì de guànshū) — force someone to take in information
  • Finnish: pakkosyöttää — force someone to take in information
  • Russian: пи́чкать (píčkatʹ) — force someone to take in information
  • Swedish: tvångsmata — force someone to take in information