forceful

adjective

ˈfȯrs-fəl How to pronounce forceful (audio)
Definition of forcefulnext
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

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 This tradition of forceful anti-American sentiment among European intellectuals went into steep decline after the abrupt end of the Cold War in the late Eighties. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 There is not any forceful language that prevents new lawsuits from being filed at schools whose universities are public. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 The sessions proceeded as scheduled and, in the final meeting, Trotsky delivered a forceful and dramatic closing statement. — Literary Hub, 28 July 2026 Banerjee said the lack of a skull fracture finding points away from a more forceful blunt-force injury. — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
  1. compelling
  2. aggressive
  3. strong
  4. influential
  5. convincing
  6. emphatic
  7. vigorous
  8. authoritative
Adjective
  • That said, together, the synergy of Venus and Pluto can make an attraction feel more compelling, or perhaps a conversation more intimate than usual.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond gaudy numbers and a long scroll of awards and achievements, Nelson was one of the most colorful and compelling coaches to grace the Bay Area in any professional sport.
    — Carl Steward, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of compelling
Adjective
  • His preference for a 4-2-3-1 has been evident, however, and the German is looking for Newcastle to be aggressive in the press, intensive and also direct, with a plan to get the ball forward as quickly as possible.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout his scuffles, however, Boone felt Grisham had gotten more aggressive inside the strike zone.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency said August and September are expected to be the most critical months as dry vegetation and strong winds create favorable conditions for fires to spread rapidly.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • For someone who is dogmatic, or has a strong commitment to evangelism, this may not be satisfactory.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • Yet, with Morgan Gibbs-White often Forest’s most influential player in the No 10 role, McAtee was limited to a bit-part role last season.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The 78-year-old Larson was poised to be influential inside a potential Democratic majority and has led the party on efforts to expand Social Security benefits and fortify the program into the future.
    — Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of influential
Adjective
  • Patience may prove the all-important virtue that sees De Zerbi land Savinho and Gakpo, after which Spurs’ attack will be far more convincing.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Today's fake listings can look even more convincing because scammers have access to professional property photos, video tours and AI tools.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of convincing
Adjective
  • And speaking about his favorite Blue Jays player, Carney delivered an emphatic endorsement of Guerrero amid a harsh season.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Knicks claiming the 2026 NBA championship in an emphatic 4-1 gentleman’s sweep of the San Antonio Spurs sent the Eastern Conference into a frenzy.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
Definition of emphatic
Adjective
  • Beijing would implement more vigorous reform of the country’s household registration system, to allow greater social and economic mobility and establish a stronger social safety net.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
  • All your zillennial and millennial friends, now adults with car insurance and vigorous SPF routines, have been watching cozy, faintly dissociative teen dramas in order to forget their troubles.
    — Daisy Jones, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of vigorous
Adjective
  • Creators are influential but not yet authoritative in the ways that matter for business.
    — Ohad Ben Artzi, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude are simultaneously authoritative-sounding and eager-to-please, a combination that can lead to terrible-yet-seductive advice that many users accept with little to no critical pushback.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of authoritative

Browse Nearby Words

force field
forceful
forcefully
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on forceful

Nglish: Translation of forceful 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 zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All