adjective
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powerful
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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
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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Vigorous Vocab: Synonyms for "Strong"
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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.
Officials in Nevada, where casinos prosper, have emerged as some of the most forceful opponents of prediction markets.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
Powell’s calm but forceful defense of Fed independence likely staved off larger attacks on the institution and won him admiration and awards, like the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award.
From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026
Karen Bass performed as an effective communicator by maintaining a measured and forceful demeanor while defending her record without becoming defensive, successfully drawing on backing from powerful labor unions and the broader Democratic establishment.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The U.S. also intercepted another vessel, M/T Tifani, as part of a forceful effort to thwart a secretive oil trade that has largely thrived after nearly two months of war.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
The forceful impact having passed, their work was considerably easier than that of their fallen comrade.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
