1
as in compelling
having the power to persuade
made a very forceful argument against going to war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
kept asking until I gave a very forceful and blunt "no"
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in strong
not showing weakness or uncertainty
took a forceful stand on the highly controversial issue
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forceful
The Civic Federation’s recommendations suggest an orderly but forceful multiyear action plan to address operations, finances and state funding advocacy.
—
Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
Choosing Kennedy signaled to the person who spoke with Trump about the pick that the president-elect is looking for forceful people who will bring big changes.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2025
More than once, President Joe Biden has tasked Burns with delivering forceful messages to the Kremlin, because Burns knows the country, and its leader, better than anyone else in the Cabinet.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
That chant in the distance, growing ever louder and more forceful.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
Choosing Kennedy signaled to the person who spoke with Trump about the pick that the president-elect is looking for forceful people who will bring big changes.
—Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2025
More than once, President Joe Biden has tasked Burns with delivering forceful messages to the Kremlin, because Burns knows the country, and its leader, better than anyone else in the Cabinet.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
That chant in the distance, growing ever louder and more forceful.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forceful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forceful
Adjective
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And that now is, by far, the most compelling part of the film.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
19 Feb. 2025
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Produced, directed, and written by Perry, Duplicity aims to continue his legacy of compelling storytelling.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, her life was turned upside down last week after President Donald Trump’s administration began instituting mass layoffs as part of an aggressive effort to trim the federal workforce.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA TODAY,
17 Feb. 2025
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Beef, coffee and orange juice are among groceries with higher prices, but eggs are uniquely affected by the aggressive strain of avian flu, which has strained supply.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Daigneault was an influential voice in the team’s developmental plan.—
Anthony Slater,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
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Other attractions help put the eventful Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s in perspective by referencing influential historical figures and locations in Harlem.—
Jared Mccallister,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His book has the deft touch that can come only when the ego of the journalist ebbs into something far more substantial and convincing.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2025
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The headphones have been designed to extract as much detail as possible from the music by separating the instruments into a convincing soundstage.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Fed again zeroed in on the potentially inflationary effects of Trump’s economic agenda, this time in more emphatic terms.—
Andrew Ross Sorkin,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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Could there be a more emphatic conflation of symbolic maleness and brute force?—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While Montessori is known for its vigorous teachings of math, science and other core subjects, the curriculum moves with the child and teachers can adapt to different learning styles.—
Gqlshare,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Feb. 2025
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For some, this process is a welcome departure from the vigorous scrubbing of years past.—
Angela Trakoshis,
Allure,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This was the sort of authoritative result that proves Missouri could make some noise come March.—
Brendan Marks,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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Isbell’s authoritative vocal performance also highlighted his savvy wordplay and observations, tools that reinforced his music’s tight links with descriptive language and honest perspective.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forceful. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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