forceful

adjective

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

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.
There is not a lot of emphasis on factual claims, press releases, forceful statements. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025 Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov, standing behind Hagel, took exception and gave Hagel a forceful cross-check in the back, sending him lunging forward and drawing both teams into a fracas in the corner of the ice. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance comes at a time when the government has antagonized Latino communities, spread anti-Latino rhetoric, and treated immigrants with abject cruelty, callously celebrating images of forceful, often violent arrests and brutal detainments. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025 The prose in this quiet, forceful epic exemplifies Kincaid’s trademark sharpness. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Forceful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forceful. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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 adverb
forcefulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forceful

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!