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Contract & Commercial Law vocabulary · Contract Terms & Clauses

Force majeure

Meaning in contract & commercial law, with examples

/ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/nounCore term

In contract & commercial law, force majeure means: An unforeseeable event outside the parties' control, such as a natural disaster or war, that prevents a party from performing; a force majeure clause may suspend or excuse performance.

In Turkish: mücbir sebep

How it is used

Under English law its effect depends entirely on the wording of the clause, which usually lists events (floods, strikes, epidemics, government action) and requires prompt notice. Parties 'invoke' or 'rely on' force majeure. The term comes from French and is used unchanged in English.

Example sentences

  1. The supplier sent a force majeure notice after the earthquake closed its plant.

  2. A lack of money is not normally treated as force majeure.

Common collocations

  • force majeure clause
  • force majeure event
  • invoke force majeure
  • force majeure notice
  • clauseA numbered section of a contract that deals with one specific subject, such as payment, confidentiality or termination.
  • frustrationThe automatic ending of a contract when an unforeseen event that neither party is responsible for makes performance impossible or radically different from what was agreed.
  • liabilityLegal responsibility for something, especially the duty to pay compensation for loss or harm; in accounting, also a debt that a business owes.
  • terminateTo end a contract officially, for example because the other party has breached it, or by giving the notice that the contract allows.

More terms: Contract Terms & Clauses

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.