forceful

[ fawrs-fuhl, fohrs- ]

/ ˈfɔrs fəl, ˈfoʊrs- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR forceful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

full of force; powerful; vigorous; effective: a forceful plea for peace.

acting or driven with force.

Nearby words

forced perspective, forced sale, forced vital capacity, forced-draft, forcedly, forceful, forcefully, forcemeat, forceps, forceps delivery, forcer

Origin of forceful

First recorded in 1565–75; force + -ful

SYNONYMS FOR forceful

1 cogent, telling.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR forceful ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

force·ful·ly, adverbforce·ful·ness, nounun·force·ful, adjectiveun·force·ful·ly, adverb

Can be confused

forceful forcible

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for forceful

Allen met every one of his arguments with a forceful counterargument.
How Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’|Peter Guralnick|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were engaged in a forceful and effective campaign to keep this information from Congress, the press and the American people.
George W. Bush’s Puzzling WMD Coverup|Rick Santorum, Pete Hoekstra|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Always spare, often forceful, Ryan Adams alternates tough pop songs with tender, unsparing ballads.
‘Ryan Adams’ Is No Domestic Bliss Album|Keith Phipps|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For the minority who want conflict, they will get a forceful answer from the Ukrainian authorities.
Pro-Russian Protesters in East Ukraine Laugh at Kiev’s Threats|David Patrikarakos|April 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The man who appears resolute and forceful in public is, behind closed doors, cowering in fear.
Searching Hard for Mugabe’s Conscience|James Kirchick|January 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This demonstrates in a forceful way the proposition that the larger the surface the less power will be needed.
Flying Machines|W.J. Jackman and Thos. H. Russell
He declared it, in his own forceful language, to be the “mother of mischiefs.”
Benjamin Franklin, A Picture of the Struggles of Our Infant Nation One Hundred Years Ago|John S. C. Abbott
Forceful it sung along the air; but the goblin advanced with hasty steps among the clouds.
Imogen|William Godwin
But Emma was alert and forceful enough to keep just one jump ahead of the swift-moving times.
Half Portions|Edna Ferber
Efficient in the handling of plough or gun or lorry, woe to the hapless babe or invalid subjected to their hard, forceful touch!
Feminism and Sex-Extinction|Arabella Kenealy

British Dictionary definitions for forceful

forceful

/ (ˈfɔːsfʊl) /

adjective

powerful

persuasive or effective

Derived Forms

forcefully, adverbforcefulness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012