forcible
adjective
forc·ible
ˈfȯr-sə-bəl 
1
: effected by force used against opposition or resistance
2
: characterized by force, efficiency, or energy : powerful
forcibleness
noun
Examples of forcible in a Sentence
the forcible removal of the rioters
Recent Examples on the Web
Widespread public opposition to the military’s forcible takeover and bloody crackdown on protesters has only grown in the past three years and a nationwide armed resistance movement, which includes many of the country’s powerful ethnic rebel armies, now poses a legitimate threat to the junta.
—
Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The third teen did not see the forcible kiss but confirmed details of the gathering.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The assailant’s suffocating hand over her mouth, attempting to mute her screams, is one terrible detail that lingers; along with the bathing suit under her clothes that impeded their forcible removal.
—Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Since 2014, Oakland has barred officers from pursuing suspects who are not armed with a gun or involved in a forcible or violent crime.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Not least, a Russian victory in Ukraine would shatter the post-1945 norm against the forcible conquest and annexation of territory, thereby pulling the world back toward vicious anarchy.
—Hal Brands, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
In December 2023, three years after he was ordered to do so following his 2020 arrest for three counts of forcible rape, Masterson relinquished his personal stockpile of assault rifles.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2024
These forcible abductions and detentions, which violate international law, have systematically been used as a counterinsurgency tool by Pakistan’s security forces since the 1980s.
—Sarah Khan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2024
Douglas County authorities announced Wednesday that three men have been arrested and indicted on first-degree murder, forcible rape and first-degree kidnapping charges in the 1989 killing of 24-year-old Kelle Ann Workman.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2024
Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
The third teen did not see the forcible kiss but confirmed details of the gathering.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
The assailant’s suffocating hand over her mouth, attempting to mute her screams, is one terrible detail that lingers; along with the bathing suit under her clothes that impeded their forcible removal.
—Alexandra Jacobs, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Since 2014, Oakland has barred officers from pursuing suspects who are not armed with a gun or involved in a forcible or violent crime.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Not least, a Russian victory in Ukraine would shatter the post-1945 norm against the forcible conquest and annexation of territory, thereby pulling the world back toward vicious anarchy.
—Hal Brands, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
In December 2023, three years after he was ordered to do so following his 2020 arrest for three counts of forcible rape, Masterson relinquished his personal stockpile of assault rifles.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2024
These forcible abductions and detentions, which violate international law, have systematically been used as a counterinsurgency tool by Pakistan’s security forces since the 1980s.
—Sarah Khan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2024
Douglas County authorities announced Wednesday that three men have been arrested and indicted on first-degree murder, forcible rape and first-degree kidnapping charges in the 1989 killing of 24-year-old Kelle Ann Workman.
—CBS News, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forcible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near forcible
Cite this Entry
“Forcible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forcible. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
forcible
adjective
for·ci·ble
ˈfȯr-sə-bəl
: effected by force or threat of force used against opposition or resistance
a forcible felony
forcibly
adverb
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