force to be reckoned with

Idioms and Phrases

see under reckon with .

More About Force To Be Reckoned With

What does force to be reckoned with mean?

A force to be reckoned with is a powerful person or thing that must be taken seriously when being faced or dealt with.

The word force can refer to a person or thing with great influence or power. The verb phrase reckon with means to deal with, prepare for, or take into account.

So, a force to be reckoned with is someone or something that should not be ignored or dealt with lightly. The phrase is used to refer to people or things that are powerful, influential, and maybe even dangerous. It’s often used as a way of warning someone not to underestimate such a person or thing.

In sports, a team might be described as a force to be reckoned with if it is difficult to defeat or is at least as good as the opposing team. Such a team must be prepared for and competed against with maximum effort.

An attorney might be described as a force to be reckoned with due to having a reputation for success in the courtroom.

A storm might be called a force to be reckoned with when it’s very powerful and capable of creating a lot of damage.

A common variation of the phrase is force to reckon with.

Example: Make no mistake, the governor is a force to be reckoned with—people tend to underestimate her, but she always comes out on top.

Where does force to be reckoned with come from?

The first records the phrase of force to be reckoned with come from around the late 1800s.

The phrase is typically used to emphasize that someone or something is very powerful or more powerful than you think—so you’d better be ready. It implies that ignoring or underestimating such a force will result in defeat or even injury. The word force can be used by itself to mean much the same thing, as in He’s a force on the basketball court.

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What are some other forms related to force to be reckoned with?

• force to reckon with (variation)

What are some synonyms for force to be reckoned with?

• juggernaut
• powerhouse
• heavy hitter

What are some words that share a root or word element with force to be reckoned with?

• force
• to
• be
• reckon with
• force of nature

What are some words that often get used in discussing force to be reckoned with?

• power
• strong
• intimidating
• influential
• dangerous
• threat

How is force to be reckoned with used in real life?

The phrase force to be reckoned with is commonly used to describe big, powerful, and/or dangerous things.

Brain Joffe feels @BidvestWits will become a force to be reckoned with in South African football #KickOff https://t.co/6Ib2enIuUq

— Kick Off (@KickOffMagazine) July 20, 2017

Don’t underestimate yourself. You are a force to be reckoned with… don’t let up. 🔥🔥🔥

— jen (@jenfar3) May 26, 2020

i love a woman with a plan. They are the fiercest force to be reckoned with

— BrinaBri (@FreeALIMan_SQ) August 20, 2020

 

 

Try using force to be reckoned with!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to be used to describe something considered a force to be reckoned with?

A. strong
B. weak
C. powerful
D. influential