force play: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical / Sports
Quick answer
What does “force play” mean?
A rule and strategic situation in baseball and softball where a runner must advance to the next base because the batter becomes a runner, allowing a defender to tag the base instead of the runner to record an out.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rule and strategic situation in baseball and softball where a runner must advance to the next base because the batter becomes a runner, allowing a defender to tag the base instead of the runner to record an out.
A situation in other competitive contexts (e.g., business, politics) where an actor is compelled to make a move or decision due to external pressure, leaving no alternative options.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, relating to baseball, which is not a major sport in the UK. In British contexts, the equivalent concept in cricket is a 'run out', but the tactical metaphor is not transferred.
Connotations
In the US: specific sports knowledge, strategic thinking. In the UK: recognised only by baseball enthusiasts or as an Americanism.
Frequency
Very high frequency in American sports commentary and writing about baseball; extremely low to zero in general British English.
Grammar
How to Use “force play” in a Sentence
[Team/Player] executed a force play at [base].The situation created a force play.It's a force play to [base].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “force play” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Rare) The fielder attempted to force-play the runner at second.
- (Metaphorical) The CEO was force-played into resigning.
American English
- The shortstop forced him out at second.
- They'll try to force the play at home plate.
adjective
British English
- (Rare) It was a force-play situation.
American English
- It's a force-play rule.
- He was out on a force-play call.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor: 'The new regulations put the company in a force play; they had to sell the subsidiary.'
Academic
Rare. Possibly used in papers analyzing sports strategy or as a metaphor in game theory.
Everyday
Uncommon in everyday conversation outside of discussing baseball.
Technical
Precise term in baseball rulebooks, coaching, and commentary.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “force play”
- Using 'force play' to mean a powerful or aggressive move in general. Confusing it with 'power play'. Using it in non-sports contexts without metaphorical setup.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very nearly. 'Force out' is the result (the out made), while 'force play' often refers to the entire strategic situation or the act of executing the play.
Only as a deliberate metaphor for a situation with compelled action. Its primary and most correct usage remains in baseball.
The rules of cricket and baseball are fundamentally different. The specific scenario of a 'force play' (mandatory advance allowing a base tag) does not exist in cricket. A similar result (a run out) requires tagging the runner or the wicket with the ball.
Interpreting 'force' as 'strength' or 'power' rather than 'compulsion', leading to confusion with terms like 'power play' in other sports.
A rule and strategic situation in baseball and softball where a runner must advance to the next base because the batter becomes a runner, allowing a defender to tag the base instead of the runner to record an out.
Force play is usually technical / sports in register.
Force play: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɔːs ˌpleɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɔːrs ˌpleɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be in a force play (metaphorical)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FORCE PLAY: The runner is FORCED to run, so you can PLAY the ball at the base.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS BASEBALL; A COMPELLED ACTION IS A FORCED ADVANCE.
Practice
Quiz
In its extended metaphorical sense, 'force play' best describes a situation where: