forceful

adjective

force·​ful ˈfȯrs-fəl How to pronounce forceful (audio)
Synonyms of forcefulnext
: possessing or filled with force : effective
a forceful argument
forcefulness noun

Synonyms

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Examples of forceful in a Sentence

He has a very forceful personality. She's a confident and forceful leader. They have made a forceful argument in favor of changing the system. The government has threatened to use more forceful measures if necessary.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But after more forceful stimulus was announced late last year, analysts started to predict a bottom could come as soon as later this year. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025 She was so thrown off with how forceful Selena was being; everything happened so fast. — Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 17 Mar. 2025 The responses from the rodent rescuers in aiding anesthetized peers ranged from gentle sniffing and grooming to more forceful actions such as mouth or tongue biting, eventually escalating to pulling the tongue out of the unconscious mouse to clear the airway. — Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025 Trump’s tariff defense President Trump gave a forceful defense of his tariffs during his address to Congress on Tuesday evening, even as some economists fear the trade dispute will raise prices. — Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forceful

Word History

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forceful was in 1571

Rhymes for forceful

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Browse Nearby Words

force fit
forceful
forcefully
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Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forceful. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

forceful

adjective
force·​ful ˈfōrs-fəl How to pronounce forceful (audio)
ˈfȯrs-
: having or done with much force : vigorous
a forceful speech
forcefully
-fə-lē How to pronounce forceful (audio)
adverb
forcefulness noun

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