FORCEFUL Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

forceful

adjective

ˈfȯrs-fəl

Definition of forceful next

as in compelling

having the power to persuade made a very forceful argument against going to war

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in aggressive

marked by or uttered with forcefulness kept asking until I gave a very forceful and blunt "no"

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as in strong

not showing weakness or uncertainty took a forceful stand on the highly controversial issue

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as in influential

having power over the minds or behavior of others a forceful speaker whose words moved the audience to tears

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of forceful Other ethnic groups in the delta, having been subject to violence at the hands of the government soldiers and having witnessed the murder of the Ogoni Nine, concluded that peaceful protests did not produce results, and forceful action was the only way to make the government listen. —

Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 The town quickly passed a forceful resolution opposing the conversion and publicly criticized ICE for failing to inform local officials of the move. —

Eric Westervelt, NPR, 23 Mar. 2026 There’s a maddening human truth tucked into the fact that everyone — from Lebedev’s forceful, hopeful young daughter Sasha (Maya Shoham) to the lout Borkin, whom Labbadia embodies irresistibly as a kind of Bronx-y hustler — is drawn to this man in free fall. —

Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 Spilled hot broth could lead to injuries, while the forceful movements of the robot itself posed a risk of physical harm to nearby customers. —

Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forceful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful

Adjective

Tom Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995, but the stories behind Forrest Gump remain as compelling as the film itself.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
The stock is down 30% in the past six months, but remains compelling at current levels, Bank of America said.

— Michael Bloom, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026