1
as in compelling
having the power to persuade
made a very forceful argument against going to war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in effectiveness
the capacity to persuade
the forcefulness of his argument is indisputable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect
delivered the punch line with appropriate forcefulness
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in intensity
the quality or state of being forceful (as in expression)
her clenched teeth only added to the forcefulness of her words
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
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Michael is stunned by the usually reclusive Creed's sudden forcefulness.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Adjective
The county medical examiner said in an autopsy report that Obumseli, who worked in cryptocurrency, died from a forceful downward thrust from a blade that went three inches into his chest, piercing a major artery.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
Today’s order still could have been much more forceful.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Noun
While most players publicly say they don’t wish to be traded, there was a forcefulness in Rust’s tone when the topic would arise.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Michael is stunned by the usually reclusive Creed's sudden forcefulness.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
-
Australia’s west and east coasts offer two distinctly different, yet equally compelling, coastal experiences.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Extra deployments, additional monitoring of cameras, more intelligence sharing and even drone deployments are part of an aggressive, proactive approach in an elevated threat environment, officials say.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
But the World Cup presents a challenge for an administration that has placed aggressive immigration enforcement at the top of its agenda.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
For dinner off the islet, the local fine dining scene is strong with options like Chef Duc’s Mango Rooms, and Mùa by Truc, which are all worth a visit.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
There will also be a strong north to south longshore current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Laura Loomer, an influential adviser to Trump, strongly opposes its closure.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
Trump remains popular among his core supporters and influential for most Republican lawmakers, yet developments over the past two weeks have called into question his sway in the Senate in particular.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
This emphasis on user-friendly effectiveness is immediately apparent in CyberFOX’s simple setup approach.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Ervin recommends placing these about eight feet apart for maximum effectiveness.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
There have been ongoing concerns about its impact on gentrification on the South Side, and the location itself was in dispute as well.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Wembanyama, one of the marquee stars of this series, was his usual disruptive presence in the paint defensively but struggled to make a larger impact elsewhere.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Oura Ring, Ultrahuman and Clue have partnered to link cycle data with real-time biomarkers, and workout-modification engines adapting intensity to cycle phase are already in development per FemTech World’s 2026 outlook.—
Allison Palmer
June 4,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
-
Climate change, from the burning of coal, oil and gas, increased the intensity of Canada's 2023 fire season by at least 50% and doubled the chances of the drier, hotter weather conditions that were needed for the fire, a 2023 study found.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
For years, researchers suspected that a similar predator was responsible for the fossil fragments, but lacked a convincing candidate.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
4 June 2026
-
My next cheese experience was a variation both comical and convincing.—
Byron W. Dalrymple,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
