diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -5968,7 +5968,7 @@ def recover(ui, repo):
 @command('^remove|rm',
     [('A', 'after', None, _('record delete for missing files')),
     ('f', 'force', None,
-     _('remove (and delete) file even if added or modified')),
+     _('forget added files, delete modified files')),
     ] + subrepoopts + walkopts,
     _('[OPTION]... FILE...'),
     inferrepo=True)
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -2551,7 +2551,7 @@ Dish up an empty repo; serve it cold.
   <td>record delete for missing files</td></tr>
   <tr><td>-f</td>
   <td>--force</td>
-  <td>remove (and delete) file even if added or modified</td></tr>
+  <td>forget added files, delete modified files</td></tr>
   <tr><td>-S</td>
   <td>--subrepos</td>
   <td>recurse into subrepositories</td></tr>