1
as in compelling
having the power to persuade
made a very forceful argument against going to war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
kept asking until I gave a very forceful and blunt "no"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in strong
not showing weakness or uncertainty
took a forceful stand on the highly controversial issue
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forceful
Waller comes into Sunday’s game contributing 23 receptions for 283 yards and six touchdowns, Hill has been a forceful in-line blocker, and Dulcich, who so far has caught 18 passes for 246 yards this season, has been a pleasant surprise.
—
Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Beathard and Ross coveted forceful tight ends, leading Beathard to sign the 260-pound Pupunu.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
In opening the meeting, Malaysia’s foreign minister urged the bloc to play a more forceful role.
—Reuters, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Without warning, Spees performed a forceful takedown, pulling her in a circular motion that spun her body and caused her head to hit the pavement with an audible thud, the memo states.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
Beathard and Ross coveted forceful tight ends, leading Beathard to sign the 260-pound Pupunu.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
In opening the meeting, Malaysia’s foreign minister urged the bloc to play a more forceful role.
—Reuters, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Without warning, Spees performed a forceful takedown, pulling her in a circular motion that spun her body and caused her head to hit the pavement with an audible thud, the memo states.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 18 Dec. 2025
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.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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Their work, published in Nano-Micro Letters, presents a compelling strategy for bridging laboratory materials innovation and real-world battery deployment.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Anthony Bernon, 28, said Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about i the aggressive tactics being used by ICE and other federal agencies enforcing immigration policy.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
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Reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement going door to door have circulated, and so too have videos alleging profiling based on race and ICE's apparent aggressive tactics.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Also at tight end, Jackson Verdugo, who had a strong freshman season, is due back, and FIU signed incoming freshmen Davis Brown and Ayden Passley.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
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Nicole says Hannah did get better and stronger — strong enough that Hannah's neurologist told her the whole story.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The decision will cap a months-long search process for arguably the most influential role in the global economy.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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As any photo of John Lennon, Kenny Loggins, or Gregg Allman in the early seventies will attest, Jesus was one of the most influential forces in fashion at the time, as well as in pop culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Gators found their offensive flow and applied the defensive clamps against the high-scoring Bulldogs during a convincing and pivotal 92-77 win Tuesday night at the O’Connell Center.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
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After pulling away in the second half, Old Rochester continued building league momentum with a convincing 54-32 victory.—
Zach McMahon,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But the fact this England team are clearly still united and went down fighting to a five-wicket defeat in Sydney that gave Australia another emphatic series victory on home soil, this time 4-1, should not camouflage the need for change.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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The Kings pushed the lead up to 12 when Achiuwa threw down an emphatic dunk over Flagg.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Started from seed, this type of sedum is a vigorous grower, forming a tidy mound with strong, flop-free stems.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
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But a new study, published in Nature Communications in October, says vigorous activity is even more valuable than that.—
Greg Presto,
Outside,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Her authoritative reporting and industry knowledge help readers and listeners better understand the space and inform critical business decisions.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
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Rather than advancing a single authoritative narrative, the exhibition creates space for inquiry, encouraging visitors to reflect on how beliefs are formed, how digital systems influence perception, and how imagination reshapes memory and identity.—
Devon Akmon,
Washington Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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