1
as in compelling
having the power to persuade
made a very forceful argument against going to war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
kept asking until I gave a very forceful and blunt "no"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in strong
not showing weakness or uncertainty
took a forceful stand on the highly controversial issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in influential
having power over the minds or behavior of others
a forceful speaker whose words moved the audience to tears
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The county medical examiner said in an autopsy report that Obumseli, who worked in cryptocurrency, died from a forceful downward thrust from a blade that went three inches into his chest, piercing a major artery.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
On the recto is the full self-portrait, its face obliterated by the forceful insert of another Rembrandt image.
—James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The seven-pack of opening songs is direct, forceful, and tells a story as tight as the band itself.
—Brandon Shaw, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
On the recto is the full self-portrait, its face obliterated by the forceful insert of another Rembrandt image.
—James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The seven-pack of opening songs is direct, forceful, and tells a story as tight as the band itself.
—Brandon Shaw, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
-
Australia’s west and east coasts offer two distinctly different, yet equally compelling, coastal experiences.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Extra deployments, additional monitoring of cameras, more intelligence sharing and even drone deployments are part of an aggressive, proactive approach in an elevated threat environment, officials say.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
But the World Cup presents a challenge for an administration that has placed aggressive immigration enforcement at the top of its agenda.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
But despite a strong sporting heritage, Panama struggled to translate their success to the football pitch.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Most other Sacramento-area incumbents cruised to strong leads in their legislative races.—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Laura Loomer, an influential adviser to Trump, strongly opposes its closure.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
Trump remains popular among his core supporters and influential for most Republican lawmakers, yet developments over the past two weeks have called into question his sway in the Senate in particular.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
For years, researchers suspected that a similar predator was responsible for the fossil fragments, but lacked a convincing candidate.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
-
My next cheese experience was a variation both comical and convincing.—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Meja Örtengren delivered one of Stanford’s most emphatic points, beating USC freshman Jasmine Koo 6 and 5.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
And Mateus Mane’s excellent first Premier League goal in the 3-0 home win over West Ham United, as well as Adam Armstrong’s emphatic finish in the 2-2 comeback draw at Brentford in March.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
Clover is a vigorous plant that crowds out weeds, thereby reducing the need for weed control.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
6 June 2026
-
In the luteal phase, progesterone is considered catabolic and may impair muscle contractions during vigorous activity.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it.—
Melissa Hancock,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
The annual ranking, long considered one of the restaurant industry's most authoritative lists, is curated by an independent academy of 300 culinary experts and honors destinations across North America that are pushing culinary boundaries while delivering exceptional dining experiences.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Midwest Living,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
