# forced vs forceps

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### forced
*verb · IPA /fɔɹst/ · frequency rank #1,561*
simple past and past participle of force

### forceps
*noun · IPA /ˈfɔːsɛps/ · frequency rank #45,378*
An instrument used in surgery or medical procedures for grasping and holding objects, similar to tongs or pincers.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/forced-vs-forceps