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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 That intent could be seen with a more forceful bat flip than usual following his home run. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 22 July 2025 Anguish is redirected into forceful speculation, all without sacrificing the laughs. Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2025 Though the worker accused of forceful treatment of kids had only been working at the day care for months, Golden says other parents told him their kids had issues with day care staff. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2025 Although groups had been testing the limits of hard rock for a few years by the time Black Sabbath arrived, the band purified their aggression into a forceful, unrelenting sound that would define a new style of rock. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
  • The interview is alternately boring and compelling, offering a glimpse into an insular world of privilege and entitlement.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2025
  • But where Enys Men — the story of a woman alone on an island who sees visions from previous centuries — is a series of scenes without much forward momentum, Rose of Nevada has compelling elements of suspense.
    Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to doing his job defensively, Garcia was aggressive in pushing up from his spot at left back and getting involved in the offensive attack.
    Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
  • This could force aggressive interest rate cuts, overriding the current consensus and aligning policy with Trump’s agenda.
    Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • Understanding those cultures is crucial if brands want to be more influential and persuasive.
    Tim Wragg, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
  • More than three decades after its initial release, one of Indian cinema’s most influential action dramas is gearing up for a return to theaters.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • All contribute to a convincing business vision and clear investment thesis that internal and external stakeholders can understand and convey.
    Noah Barsky, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
  • The Dream picked up a nice national TV win in San Francisco on Sunday, knocking off the Golden State Valkyries with a convincing third-quarter blitz.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • But the defending World Series champions prevailed in emphatic fashion, picking up a three-game sweep to re-establish a two-game lead in the division.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Already Guerrero seems to be able to convey of-the-moment phrasings and character directions with a few emphatic motions—a roller-coaster swoop here, a waggle of the fingers there—and get an immediate response from the choristers.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Plan to drink when exercising for 90 minutes or more—long bike rides, say—or when exercising in the heat, or during vigorous exercise with high sweat rates.
    Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • This vigorous grower has soft, downy leaves in 12-inch mounds and starry, yellow-green flowers that emerge above them in summer.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • And, when those models are grounded in authoritative case law and tax policy information that’s been curated and vetted by attorneys and CPAs, the accuracy and consistency of results is unmatched.
    Laura Clayton McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Stricter parenting styles include authoritative or authoritarian styles.
    ​Wendy Wisner, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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