From the French, literally translates as superior force. It applies to things that cannot be controlled such as war, extreme weather, labor stoppages, and other things that are uncontrollable and make it difficult or impossible to carry out normal business. Force majeure clauses are often used in contracts to absolve the company from liability in the event it cannot fulfill the terms of the contract for reasons beyond its control. For example, a contractor may not be able to complete renovations on a building because of shutdowns due to a global pandemic. In simple terms, a force majeure is basically an unforeseen event that prevents a party to a contract from fulfilling his part of the bargain. So if a builder said he’s going to build a house but there is a nail shortage so the builder can’t get his hands on nails so he can’t build the house, that’s force majeure.