forceful

adjective

force·​ful ˈfȯrs-fəl 

: possessing or filled with force : effective

a forceful argument

forcefulness noun

Synonyms of forceful

• compelling
• convincing
• conclusive
• strong

Examples of forceful in a Sentence

He has a very forceful personality.

She's a confident and forceful leader.

They have made a forceful argument in favor of changing the system.

The government has threatened to use more forceful measures if necessary.

Recent Examples on the Web

Stocks jumped in response to the Fed’s move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. —Christopher Rugaber, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025

Wang's collaborative creation with other Santa Fe artists, visitors will stumble upon an unsuspecting Victorian home that becomes a site of wonder when a forceful blip rips through the metaphysics of time and space. —Malik Peay, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025

Judge Cornelia Pillard issued a forceful dissent from Tuesday’s ruling. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025

The stern personality that Akl projects as Yasmine is punctuated with splashes of levity that make her character’s compatibility with Nino believable rather than forceful. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for forceful

• remorseful
• resourceful

Kids Definition

forceful

adjective

force·​ful ˈfōrs-fəl 

ˈfȯrs-

: having or done with much force : vigorous

a forceful speech

forcefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

forcefulness noun