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 of forceful

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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.
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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.
The ruling — forceful, unequivocal and based on several of the same arguments made by Bennett and Sanchez — was cheered by state officials and voting rights groups. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026 Restoring the kelp forests will require a more forceful campaign. — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026 Old pollution would not be this forceful, according to internal documents written by agency staff. — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026 Though Gemini was happy to do the task (unlike ChatGPT, which was more forceful in not generating synthetic data or studies), the result was underwhelming. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2026 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 31 Oct. 2026.

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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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