diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index 3c72eae..a0b0200 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ void usage(enum logcode F)
   rprintf(F,"     --ignore-missing-args   ignore missing source args without error\n");
   rprintf(F,"     --delete-missing-args   delete missing source args from destination\n");
   rprintf(F,"     --ignore-errors         delete even if there are I/O errors\n");
-  rprintf(F,"     --force                 force deletion of directories even if not empty\n");
+  rprintf(F,"     --force                 OK to replace non-empty dirs with non-dirs\n");
   rprintf(F,"     --max-delete=NUM        don't delete more than NUM files\n");
   rprintf(F,"     --max-size=SIZE         don't transfer any file larger than SIZE\n");
   rprintf(F,"     --min-size=SIZE         don't transfer any file smaller than SIZE\n");
diff --git a/rsync.yo b/rsync.yo
index 9283425..2a42ab5 100644
--- a/rsync.yo
+++ b/rsync.yo
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ to the detailed description below for a complete description.  verb(
      --ignore-missing-args   ignore missing source args without error
      --delete-missing-args   delete missing source args from destination
      --ignore-errors         delete even if there are I/O errors
-     --force                 force deletion of dirs even if not empty
+     --force                 OK to replace non-empty dirs with non-dirs
      --max-delete=NUM        don't delete more than NUM files
      --max-size=SIZE         don't transfer any file larger than SIZE
      --min-size=SIZE         don't transfer any file smaller than SIZE