What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pushing
Example
He was pushing the heavy cart up the hill. [pushing: verb]
Example
She was pushing her friend to try out for the school play. [pushing: gerund or present participle]
Example
The organization was pushing for more environmentally-friendly policies. [pushing: gerund or present participle]
forcing
Example
He was forcing the door open with a crowbar. [forcing: verb]
Example
She felt like her boss was forcing her to work overtime. [forcing: gerund or present participle]
Example
The drought was forcing farmers to sell their livestock. [forcing: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Pushing is more commonly used than forcing in everyday language. Pushing is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while forcing is less common and often has negative connotations.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between pushing and forcing?
While pushing is typically associated with a casual and informal tone, forcing is more formal and often used in legal or official contexts to describe illegal or unethical behavior.
