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forceful

[ fawrs-fuhl, fohrs- ]

/ ˈfɔrs fəl, ˈfoʊrs- /

SEE 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

SYNONYMS FOR forceful

1 cogent, telling.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR forceful ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM forceful

force·ful·ly, adverb force·ful·ness, noun un·force·ful, adjective un·force·ful·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH forceful

forceful forcible

Words nearby forceful

forced march, forced perspective, forced sale, forced vital capacity, forced-draft, forceful, forcemeat, forceps, forceps delivery, forcer, forces

Example sentences 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 of forceful

forcefully, adverb forcefulness, noun