forcible
Americanadjective
-
done or effected by force.
forcible entry into a house.
-
producing a powerful effect; having force; effective.
-
convincing, as reasoning.
a forcible theory.
-
characterized by the use of force or violence.
adjective
-
done by, involving, or having force
-
convincing or effective
a forcible argument
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forcible
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; see force, -ible
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.
The charity knows of around 300 households threatened with forcible eviction from subdivided flats, with more expected to follow, according to Sze -- far more than the 35 notices the government said it had received.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Noriega also argued his forcible military abduction violated international law and the Panamanian government’s sovereignty, thereby depriving courts of jurisdiction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 4, 2026
The play violated an NFL rule prohibiting the use of any part of the helmet or facemask to initiate forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
And they said ordering hundreds of thousands to move south could amount to forcible transfer under international law.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
In a forcible emphatic way, he was handsome and looked, as his secretary was never tired of repeating, every centimetre an Alpha-Plus.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
