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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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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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
On one side, state officials argue that violent tactics demand a forceful legal response.
—
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Russini issued a forceful denial, then resigned while criticizing the media after her employer sought verification.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
In addition to forceful statements from family members, a 10-page motion to deny bail was filed by Yolo County District Jeff Reisig prior to the hearing.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026
The protest targeted a pastor whom activists accused of having ties to ICE operations, drawing a forceful response from the DOJ, which has vowed to see each case to a trial.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Russini issued a forceful denial, then resigned while criticizing the media after her employer sought verification.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
In addition to forceful statements from family members, a 10-page motion to deny bail was filed by Yolo County District Jeff Reisig prior to the hearing.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026
The protest targeted a pastor whom activists accused of having ties to ICE operations, drawing a forceful response from the DOJ, which has vowed to see each case to a trial.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
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No one in the East has been dominant in the first round, so the Knicks entering the second round on a three-game winning streak is compelling.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
2 May 2026
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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.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of aggressive enforcement activities in Chicago and Minneapolis, resigned from the agency.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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That approach, paired with more outreach to Black residents, may help increase the city’s affordable housing stock and close the gap in Black homeownership, though some city council members have urged a more aggressive push on affordable housing.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Set one clear boundary today and confirm expectations so your commitments stay strong and manageable.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Over the past five weeks, Rubio, Sessions and influential GOP lobbyist Brian Ballard testified at the foreign-agent trial.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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The movie took in $248M global and became one of the most successful and influential horror movies ever.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the course of two semi-final first legs, VAR’s conviction has been less than convincing.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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But, while Warsh may favor lower rates, there currently isn’t a convincing economic argument for easier monetary policy anytime soon — a view that three key Fed voters telegraphed at this meeting.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This misguided motion by a Democratic Socialist councilmember deserves a loud, emphatic no vote from the full City Council.—
Matt Klink,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
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In the second quarter, Bridges found Mitchell Robinson for an emphatic alley-oop dunk.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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After a brief interlude of distracted play, the game got vigorous and testy.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
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Compact determinate tomato varieties, such as ‘Patio’, require much less space than a vigorous indeterminate grape tomato, such as ‘Valentine’.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 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.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Denver landed an authoritative punch in the second and third quarters of Game 1 to open this playoff series against the Timberwolves.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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