force the issue

idiom

: to force someone to do something or to make a decision about something
They would never have addressed the problem if that newspaper article hadn't forced the issue.

Examples of force the issue in a Sentence

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Perhaps an interesting prospect, such as Owen Caissie or Matt Shaw, will force the issue and make his major-league debut. Patrick Mooney, The Athletic, 6 July 2024 In other words, countries should combat populism indirectly through promotion of trade and international institutionalism rather than force the issue with sanctions and rhetorical condemnation. Samuel Seitz, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2017 Neither candidate made deficit reduction a priority during the campaign, but financial markets may force the issue. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2024 Now crumbling infrastructure, mounting costs and budget cuts may force the issue. Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for force the issue 

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Cite this Entry

“Force the issue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/force%20the%20issue. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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