を余儀(よぎ)なくさせるForce to, To compel, Make unavoidable

Like を余儀(よぎ)なくされる, a formal grammar pattern that is usually translated as ‘to be forced to (A)’, を余儀(よぎ)なくさせる has the same base, but uses the causative auxiliary verb させる ‘to make do’, in place of the passive される ‘to have done to one’.

Its component parts are the adverbial particle を, the noun 余儀(よぎ) ‘another method’, the conjunctive form of the い-Adjective ない, なく, and the causative form of する, させる. In this way, it literally means ‘to not give another way than to (A)’.

を余儀(よぎ)なくさせる will be seen following an (A) noun, where (A) is the thing that is unavoidable.

• 外出(がいしゅつ)自粛(じしゅく)要請(ようせい)が、飲食店(いんしょくてん)の閉店(へいてん)を余儀(よぎ)なくさせた。

  The request of not going outside, stores were forced to close.
• 地元(じもと)住民(じゅうみん)からの反対(はんたい)の声(こえ)が、ショッピングモールの建設(けんせつ)の中止(ちゅうし)を余儀(よぎ)なくさせた。

  The voices of opposition from the residents, they were forced to cancel the construction of the shopping mall.
• 運転手(うんてんしゅ)の不注意(ふちゅうい)が、入院(にゅういん)を余儀(よぎ)なくさせた。

  The carelessness of the driver, forced them to get hospitalized.

Unlike を余儀(よぎ)なくされる, in most cases the (A) subject of sentences that use を余儀(よぎ)なくさせる will be non-human cause. However, there are exceptions to this.

Fun Fact

Despite 余儀(よぎ) and ない being separate words, 余儀(よぎ)なく is often thought of simply as a single word that means ‘unavoidably’, or ‘inevitably’.