modality N1 uncommon written
〜を余儀なくされる — to be forced to ~
〜を余儀なくされる ・ をよぎなくされる
Meaning
- be forced to ~ / be compelled into ~ / have no choice but to ~ (because of circumstances) — formal/written; the affected party is the subject and the outcome is unwanted
Key sentence
大雨のため、試合は中止を余儀なくされた。
Because of the heavy rain, the match was forced to be cancelled.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (usually a する-noun naming the outcome) | [affected party]は + N + を余儀なくされる | 閉鎖を余儀なくされる |
Examples
工場は経営難で閉鎖を余儀なくされた。
Financial trouble forced the factory to close.
住民は災害で避難を余儀なくされた。
The disaster forced residents to evacuate.
けがのため、選手は引退を余儀なくされた。
The injury left the athlete no choice but to retire.
When you can't use it
- を takes a NOUN (typically a する-noun: 中止・変更・閉鎖・撤退・延期), never a plain verb. The compelling force is impersonal circumstance, not a person giving an order; the subject is the one suffering the compulsion.
Easily confused with
〜を余儀なくさせる される makes the VICTIM the subject ('Y was forced into ~'); させる makes the CAUSE the subject ('X forced Y into ~'). Same situation, flipped focus — and the passive される is far more common in writing. 〜ざるを得ない を余儀なくされる takes a noun and is heavier, news/report register, stressing that circumstances strip away all options; ざるを得ない attaches to a verb and is the everyday written 'have no choice but to ~.' 〜なければならない なければならない = an obligation from rule or necessity that you still carry out; を余儀なくされる = circumstances impose an unwanted outcome on you, foregrounding the loss of choice.
See 〜を余儀なくされる in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜を余儀なくされる the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.