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
Redefining war Maduro’s forcible removal did not come out of nowhere.
—
Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Justice Department opinion allows ‘forcible abductions’ abroad In ordering Noriega’s removal, the White House relied on a 1989 legal opinion by then-Assistant Attorney General Bill Barr, issued six months before the invasion.
—Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Justin Dean Evans pleaded guilty last Tuesday to three felony counts of forcible lewd acts on a child.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
He is charged with three felony counts of forcible rape and one felony count of assault with the intent to commit rape.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forcible
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Jon Duffy, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Justice Department opinion allows ‘forcible abductions’ abroad In ordering Noriega’s removal, the White House relied on a 1989 legal opinion by then-Assistant Attorney General Bill Barr, issued six months before the invasion.
—Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Justin Dean Evans pleaded guilty last Tuesday to three felony counts of forcible lewd acts on a child.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025
He is charged with three felony counts of forcible rape and one felony count of assault with the intent to commit rape.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forcible
Cite this Entry
“Forcible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forcible. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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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