forceful

adjective

ˈfȯrs-fəl How to pronounce forceful (audio)
Definition of forcefulnext
1
as in compelling
having the power to persuade made a very forceful argument against going to war

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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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3
as in strong
not showing weakness or uncertainty took a forceful stand on the highly controversial issue

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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

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 Quite likely, this simply reflects the forceful corporate-earnings momentum working its way through analysts' stock-valuation models. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 23 June 2026 Her candidacy has also annoyed some police critics who remain angry about the forceful Occupy response in 2011. — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 24 June 2026 Andrew Raftery Two forceful exhibitions have shown how Indian artists and presses met the cultural upheaval of the nineteenth century with lithographic prints that rendered Hindu gods more approachable and helped to galvanize national identity. — The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026 His sending-off yesterday after opening the scoring in an impressive, if scrappy, round-of-32 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina was arguably less forceful than Lionel Messi’s unpunished challenge in Argentina’s opening match. — David Hickey, NBC news, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
  1. compelling
  2. aggressive
  3. strong
  4. influential
  5. convincing
  6. emphatic
  7. vigorous
  8. authoritative
Adjective
  • True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • 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.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
Definition of compelling
Adjective
  • The goal is gentle smoke and indirect heat rather than aggressive flames.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Right now, the multi-trillion-dollar global apparel industry is undergoing an aggressive technological shift, adopting artificial intelligence as a production standard rather than an experimental pilot.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 July 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Beyond California, scientists are raising alarms over the planet’s warming oceans, which — coupled with a strong El Niño — could increase temperatures for land dwellers in the coming weeks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Weather aside, Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture Week, running from July 6 to 9, will feature shows from 30 houses, compared with FW25’s 27-strong line-up.
    — Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • Marie Antoinette was bold, beautiful, irreverent and hugely influential, and to revisit it now through Eleanor Coppola’s eyes, as both a filmmaker and a mother, is incredibly moving.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 8 July 2026
  • Project 2029 — a nod to Project 2025, the influential policy manual from the conservative Heritage Foundation — seeks to influence Democrats’ platforms.
    — Simone Foxman, Fortune, 8 July 2026
Definition of influential
Adjective
  • Any platform, from Zoom to Microsoft, can be compatible with scammers utilizing deepfakes, fake profiles or convincing backgrounds such as an FBI seal.
    — Ella Moore July 2, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • Instead of abstract phishing examples, show employees how much of their own digital footprint is publicly available and how easily fraudsters can turn it into a convincing fake profile, email or message.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of convincing
Adjective
  • Switzerland topped Group B ahead of co-host Canada after beating Les Rouges 2-1 in its final group game, which came after an emphatic 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and a 1-1 draw against Qatar in its opener.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Mbappe broke the deadlock in the 45th minute, and Olise got two delightful assists with through balls for Mbappe and Barcola to finish in an emphatic second-half display.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of emphatic
Adjective
  • Dunlap notes that borage can grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, while tomatoes are known for their vigorous growth.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 30 June 2026
  • Levine Cava gave the golden-colored dog a vigorous pat on the head.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 27 June 2026
Definition of vigorous
Adjective
  • By separating address grouping, attribution, and operator, the proposal addresses a weakness that has long existed in blockchain analytics; confidence can be mistaken for proof especially given the lack of authoritative auditing standards.
    — Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Your 10th House of Career and Status gets a quiet lift from the Moon, which trines authoritative Saturn in your 2nd House of Finances.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2026
Definition of authoritative

Browse Nearby Words

force field
forceful
forcefully
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Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of forceful for Spanish Speakers

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