forcible

adjective

Definition of forciblenext
as in forceful

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 forcible Show actor Danny Masterson in 2013 following him being sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of forcible rape. — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2026 Kevin Lemar Davis, 46, was convicted of forcible rape by a jury May 12. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2026 More than likely, based on Golden State statutes, the eight years Weinstein received for the forcible oral copulation conviction will be reduced by a couple of years. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 June 2026 After spending close to seven years in prison, Weinstein, 74, has still served less than half of his 16-year-sentence in California, where he was found guilty of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and penetration by foreign object against Jane Doe 1. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for forcible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forcible
  1. forceful
  2. powerful
  3. potent
  4. mighty
  5. muscular
Adjective
  • Abu Sitta has become one of the most prolific chroniclers of the ongoing Palestinian Nakba and one of the most forceful advocates for Palestinian return.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • The Pilsen alderman representing the 25th Ward, known for his left-wing politics and forceful speeches, called on the board to reject the recommendation.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
Definition of forceful
Adjective
  • While Maduro and Flores have awaited trial in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn, their home country has been grappling with a humanitarian disaster following a pair of powerful back-to-back earthquakes in June, killing at least 5,278 people.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Self-Monitoring May Improve Weight Management Weighing daily can be a powerful tool for building awareness of trends and for adjusting habits to improve overall health.
    — Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 22 July 2026
Definition of powerful
Adjective
  • That potent mix of crosscurrents held us back from buying the dip.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 24 July 2026
  • Arriving pre-equipped with stringent, safety-first guardrails designed to block or reroute dangerous requests, it was meant to prevent the general public from accessing its potent capabilities.
    — James Marks, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of potent
Adjective
  • We Baltimoreans treasure the role the 1814 battle played in repelling the mighty British forces, which were forced to abandon their siege of Fort McHenry.
    — Michel A. Ibrahim, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2026
  • Baseball can be so random that there will be no guarantees in the playoffs, even for the mighty Dodgers.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of mighty
Adjective
  • The pressures to look a certain way — hypermasculine, muscular and stylish, for example, among certain subsets of gay men, can be just as harsh and punishing.
    — Stephanie Fairyington, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Every drop hits like a quake, and each muscular beat compels you to shake your ass.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 17 July 2026
Definition of muscular

Browse Nearby Words

forces
forcible
forcibly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forcible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forcible. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on forcible

Nglish: Translation of forcible for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of aerie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All