The term "was in force" implies an active rule or regulation that is currently applicable. Hence, antonyms for the phrase may include "invalid," "void," "inoperative," "defunct," "expired," "repealed," "abolished," "nullified," "inactive," "obsolete," and "dissolved." These words suggest a lack of power, effectiveness, or validity to a rule. An example of their use would be as follows: "The law that prohibited smoking in public establishments is no longer in force, and people can now smoke in designated areas." By contrast, the word "enforced" could be considered a synonym for "was in force" since it implies that a rule is actively being applied.