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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

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 Subscribe today Individual equities and separate sectors popped Wednesday, but collectively, their moves weren't forceful enough to lift indexes. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2025 Brooks’s core message is that the most successful people are not the most forceful, but the most effective communicators who prioritize connection over persuasion. Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025 As strong as Goldberg's comments were, co-host Ana Navarro was the most forceful and powerful. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 22 Sep. 2025 The proposal represents one of the most forceful legislative attempts yet to enshrine a political figure's legacy into public higher-education spaces. John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
  • This new Taiwanese series looks compelling.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
  • That's what makes the minerals Perseverance spotted — particularly greigite in the leopard spots — so compelling.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Sell assets for picks and cap space and attack an aggressive rebuild this offseason.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Control an aggressive infestation with a preemergent herbicide applied in late summer before chickweed seeds germinate.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In fact, while vision isn’t their strongest sense, dogs may even be able to see certain aspects of a TV show.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The young right-hander put together a strong season, but few were better after the All-Star break.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Predicting what matters in fashion was once an elite sport, the province of those who attend those big runway shows in New York, Milan, London, and – right now – Paris, like the editors of influential magazines.
    Chloe Veltman, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The more centrally located an entrepreneur is within a web of influential contacts, the greater the access to social capital and other valuable resources.
    Sarah Maokosy, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Bulls, now younger and without convincing direction, are continuing to seek identity.
    Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The 8 x 60’ series will be shot in Ireland and Hamilton, Ontario, which Donovan described as a convincing stand-in for 1920s Chicago.
    Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But this feels emphatic, even by her standards, as a capri-enthusiast.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2025
  • In amongst the abuse hurled at Rory McIlroy, the beer thrown at Rory McIlroy, the emphatic retorts from Rory McIlroy and also some golf from Rory McIlory (and 23 other guys), something interesting kept cropping up during the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Ivory™ Camellia is a vigorous grower, maturing to a height of six to eight feet tall and spreading five to seven feet wide.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
  • And that’s what keeps you vigorous and engaged.
    Adam B. Vary, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • After authoritative wins over the Lions and Commanders, the Packers certainly had the look of a Super Bowl contender.
    Mike Jones, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Is the appearance of an authoritative dictionary at a precise moment in the history of a language a statement about its maturity?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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