Standard Lemma guide

forcefulness

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɔː(ɹ)sfəlnəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AO1 R S F AH0 L N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The characteristic or quality of being forceful

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

physical energy or intensity

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he hit with all the force he could muster
  • it was destroyed by the strength of the gale
  • a government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: force, strength

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: intensity, intensiveness

Narrower terms: brunt, momentum, impulse, energy, vigor, vigour, zip

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English forceful Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English forcefulness From forceful + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bashkir: ҡеүәт (qewət) — being forceful
  • Bashkir: көс (kös) — being forceful
  • Finnish: voimakkuus — being forceful
  • Macedonian: си́ла (síla) — being forceful
  • Spanish: fortaleza — being forceful
  • Spanish: vigor — being forceful
  • Urdu: زَبَرْدَسْتی (zabardastī) — being forceful