forceful

[fawrs-fuhl, fohrs-]

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.

Origin of forceful

First recorded in 1565–75; force + -ful

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

Can be confusedforceful forcible

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1. cogent, telling.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for forceful

Contemporary Examples

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
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples

We knew that those two blows had gone straight and true and forceful to the mark.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
His glance expressed with forceful directness his thought: "Ah, then she has told you!"
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic
She inhaled a deep breath for forceful speech, but Billie was ahead of her.
The Treasure Trail
Marah Ellis Ryan
He paused for a moment, and then turned to Waynefleet with a forceful gesture.
The Greater Power
Harold Bindloss
His remarks were lucid and forceful as he raged at the interference with his work.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, October, 1930
Various

British Dictionary definitions for forceful

forceful

adjective

powerful
persuasive or effective

Derived Formsforcefully, 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

Word Origin and History for forceful

adj.

1570s, from force (n.) + -ful. Related: Forcefully; forcefulness.

forceful

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}forceful

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for forceful

Contemporary Examples

Allen met every one of his arguments with a forceful counterargument.

They were engaged in a forceful and effective campaign to keep this information from Congress, the press and the American people.

Always spare, often forceful, Ryan Adams alternates tough pop songs with tender, unsparing ballads.

For the minority who want conflict, they will get a forceful answer from the Ukrainian authorities.

The man who appears resolute and forceful in public is, behind closed doors, cowering in fear.

Historical Examples

We knew that those two blows had gone straight and true and forceful to the mark.

His glance expressed with forceful directness his thought: "Ah, then she has told you!"

She inhaled a deep breath for forceful speech, but Billie was ahead of her.

He paused for a moment, and then turned to Waynefleet with a forceful gesture.

His remarks were lucid and forceful as he raged at the interference with his work.

forceful

Word Origin and History for forceful

adj.

Origin of forceful