adjective
-
powerful
-
persuasive or effective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forceful
Explanation
Something forceful is strong and firm. A politician's forceful speech is self-assured and energetic, and it makes the audience sit up and take notice. One meaning of forceful is all about physical strength: "The forceful throw carried the football past the goalposts." Another way to be forceful is to be emphatic or vehement: "The child's forceful refusal to go to bed could not be ignored by the sleepy babysitter." Forceful literally means "full of force," and force comes from the Latin fortis, "strong, firm, or steadfast."
Vocabulary lists containing forceful
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vigorous Vocab: Synonyms for "Strong"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Forceful intervention on either side could prove counterproductive to Egypt's national interests.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2023
Forceful actions by regulators worldwide have helped restore confidence.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 30, 2023
Men and women are shuffled between floors, where they work for the comically named Bureau of Lateral Substitutions or toil on projects like Peaceful Uses of Atomic Weapons and Forceful Implementation of Peace Treaties.
From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2020
Forceful, Byronic traits certainly contribute to the bad-boy attractiveness of Lovelace, Darcy, Rochester, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Maxim de Winter.
From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2019
Forceful enough that the boys stopped chattering and looked at the two of them.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
