を余儀なくされる【をよぎなくされる】

を余儀なくされる is a formal expression meaning "to be forced to do something" or "to have no choice but to do something." It conveys that external circumstances or unavoidable situations compel someone to take a particular action against their will or preference.

The structure is built from the noun よぎ余儀 (meaning "another way" or "alternative"), the adjective ない (meaning "none"), and the passive form of する. Literally, it means something like "to be made to have no alternative but to…"

Structure

The pattern takes a noun (typically a する-verb noun) followed by をよぎなくされる余儀なくされる:

Active counterpart: を余儀なくさせる

There is also an active causative form, を余儀なくさせる, meaning "to force someone to do something." The subject in this case is the thing or event causing the action:

Usage notes

• This expression is predominantly used in written language, such as news reports, academic writing, and formal speeches. It is rarely used in casual conversation.
• The noun before を is almost always a する-verb noun (e.g. へんこう変更, ちゅうし中止, てったい撤退, じにん辞任).
• It emphasizes that the action was involuntary and caused by forces beyond one's control – natural disasters, economic conditions, political pressure, etc.
• A similar but less formal expression is 〜～ざるをえない得ない ("cannot help but do"), which can be used in both spoken and written contexts.