N1 Inevitability and Necessity

~を余儀よぎなくされる: meaning, usage and examples

~を余儀よぎなくされる means: to be forced to... / to be compelled to...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 経済的けいざいてきな理由りゆうで、退学たいがくを余儀よぎなくされた。

   I was forced to drop out for economic reasons.

2. 台風たいふうのため、イベントの中止ちゅうしを余儀よぎなくされた。

   Due to the typhoon, we were compelled to cancel the event.

3. 大雪おおゆきの影響えいきょうで、航空こうくう各社かくしゃは多おおくの便びんの欠航けっこうを余儀よぎなくされた。

   Due to heavy snow, airlines were forced to cancel many flights.

4. 鈴木すずきさんは、けがのため長期ちょうきの入院にゅういんを余儀よぎなくされた。

   Ms. Suzuki was forced into a long hospital stay because of her injury.

When to use it

Means being forced by circumstances to do something you did not want to: canceling, moving, retiring, being hospitalized. Example: 「大雨おおあめのため、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしを余儀よぎなくされた」. The cause is outside the subject's control, such as weather, illness or economics. It describes the result, not a choice.

Nuance

Formal and written, typical of news and reports. The result is always unwelcome. The noun is usually a する-noun of action: 中止ちゅうし, 変更へんこう, 撤退てったい, 入院にゅういん, 退職たいしょく. 余儀よぎなくさせる is used when the cause is the subject: 台風たいふうが欠航けっこうを余儀よぎなくさせた.

Compare

ざるを得えない is the speaker's reluctant decision: 中止ちゅうしせざるを得えない. を余儀よぎなくされる reports that circumstances forced it, often about others: 中止ちゅうしを余儀よぎなくされた. しかたなく〜する is the casual equivalent: 雨あめでしかたなく家いえにいた. ほかない (only choice) is also close but personal: 待まつほかない.

Tip: Use it with a noun, not a verb: 中止ちゅうしを余儀よぎなくされた, not 中止ちゅうしするを. It almost always appears in the past tense in news reports.