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
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Recent Examples of forceful
Video footage of the incident showed the impact of the buses, which was forceful enough to push one of the vehicles back several feet.
—
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The Dolphins seemingly expected a run on offensive linemen in the first round, and got ahead of it by picking Proctor, who showed flashes of quick feet, smooth footwork, and a forceful punch at Alabama.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
As hundreds of journalists urge a forceful statement about Donald Trump‘s attacks on the media at this weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, another question is just how the president will handle it all.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On one side, state officials argue that violent tactics demand a forceful legal response.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The Dolphins seemingly expected a run on offensive linemen in the first round, and got ahead of it by picking Proctor, who showed flashes of quick feet, smooth footwork, and a forceful punch at Alabama.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
As hundreds of journalists urge a forceful statement about Donald Trump‘s attacks on the media at this weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, another question is just how the president will handle it all.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On one side, state officials argue that violent tactics demand a forceful legal response.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
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Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
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In Division 2, the talent level is more even, which could make for more compelling matchups.—
Tarek Fattal,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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The Boston Red Sox could be aggressive, and have the prospects to swing a deal.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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In 1981, reggae artist Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36 after battling an aggressive skin cancer.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Lewis-Skelly and Calafiori continued to provide balance against Atletico three days later, and were also key components to Arsenal’s strong start against West Ham, alongside Leandro Trossard.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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The case that Ashton and Bradley heavily influenced each other is stronger, if also strained.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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The center continued that Bugno had played an influential behind-the-scenes role in championing independent voices from regions historically marginalized within the global film industry, and notably the Arab World.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
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The Legend award is given to one of TV’s most beloved and influential performers, with last year’s inaugural honor given to Parker Posey.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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In the Catholic Conference, Katie Maheu had four goals and three assists to help lift Ursuline to a convincing 24-1 victory over Fontbonne.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
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Those business partners were doing that hard piece of convincing managers, agents, and promoters to take the risk — and the promoters finally agreed.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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But against the powerful Thunder, Reaves didn’t get a chance to punctuate his comeback night with any emphatic celebration.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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This was the kind of emphatic victory the Spurs needed.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Tom Curtis, president of rival Burger King, posted his own video taking a vigorous bite of his chain’s new Whopper.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Google notes that the heart rate monitor isn’t as advanced as the one in the latest Pixel Watches, so the Air might not be as accurate during vigorous activity.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver 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.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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Dick Cable was known for his booming, authoritative voice.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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