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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Miami needs all three to build a forceful defensive front.
—
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
Jacob Scott Bevins, 36, is accused of inflicting forceful trauma on Aiden Bevins, leading to the boy's death before burying him under his residence, KING 5 and KATU reported on Friday, June 5.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Adams is low-key forceful as his primary opponent.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
Jacob Scott Bevins, 36, is accused of inflicting forceful trauma on Aiden Bevins, leading to the boy's death before burying him under his residence, KING 5 and KATU reported on Friday, June 5.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Adams is low-key forceful as his primary opponent.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
-
For Malhiot, one of the exhibition’s most compelling objects is not a historic manuscript or performance instrument but a modern toy.—
J.M. Banks
June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
-
The top-line talent on Widow’s Bay also offer compelling cases for Emmys attention.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
That more aggressive posture has been exemplified in Lewis George's smaller jousts with the mayor over housing and public safety policies, too.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Catherine Bracy, the CEO of TechEquity, a tech advocacy group that favors stronger AI regulations, speculated that the Anthropic employees were receiving advice to back Becerra because of his frontrunner status.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
Sinks on the vanity have slanted, green marble angles giving them a trendy look, and the faucet’s water spray is equivalent to a drenching rainfall shower (wide, strong, and incredibly impressive).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
As audiences discuss reality television across social platforms, franchises communicate directly with viewers throughout a season's lifecycle, positioning audiences as an influential force before, during and after a season airs.—
Jacqueline Jevtich,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Since 2016’s Nightly Waves, Rubenstein resumed performing live and recording with Chamberlain, the influential Indianapolis outfit that largely stopped working in the early 2000s after morphing from the high school-era hardcore band Split Lip.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The May 2026 review in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology found no convincing causal evidence that weight cycling itself permanently slows metabolism or causes long-term harm in people with obesity.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
Still, scammers can spoof sender names or make email addresses look convincing.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
None of these readings are so emphatic as to render the others immaterial, and the pervading ambivalence paired with a steady but creeping pace could turn off viewers who just want a good mystery to solve.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
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On the left, an approach that Neem terms post-American has taken root, pushing the arguments of the 1970s in an ever more emphatic direction.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Use a 10-gallon container filled with rich, moist soil for vigorous growth and continuous fruit production, and set it next to a pot of nasturtiums, which attract essential pollinators.—
Blythe Copeland,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
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Seven decades later that number has climbed to seventy-three, while those in the richest nations have surpassed an average of over fourscore years, a number the Bible reserves for only the most vigorous among us.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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That means authoritative profiles, press features in credible outlets, optimized social channels, Wikipedia presence where warranted, video, and review acquisition on the platforms that actually matter for the client's industry.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
-
First filmed before the pandemic and launched in its throes, a survivor of the era of streaming wars, corporate consolidation and Hollywood strikes, HBO’s addictively dissolute workplace drama remains as ambitious and authoritative as ever.—
Matt Brennan,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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