forceably

English

Etymology

From Middle English forceably, equivalent to forceable +‎ -ly.

Adverb

forceably (comparative more forceably, superlative most forceably)

1. Obsolete form of forcibly.
   • 1767, [Archibald Campbell], “To the Right Honourable George, Lord Lyttleton”, in Lexiphanes, a Dialogue. […], London: […] J[ohn] Knox […], →OCLC, page vi:

     I immediately perceived, and was very forceably ſtruck with the ſtrong reſemblance there ſubſiſts between Mr. [Samuel] J[ohnso]n’s character, and that of the Limouſin ſcholar in [François] Rabelais, and of Lexiphanes in Lucian.

2. Alternative spelling of forcibly.
   • 1990 November 15, Stephen Engelberg, “EVOLUTION IN EUROPE; Poland and Germany Sign Border Guarantee Pact”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 May 2015:

     Mr. Mazowiecki, making a statement unusual for a Polish political figure, also acknowledged that Germans had been hurt when the borders were forceably shifted in 1945.

   • 2000 June 2, Adam Clymer, “THE ELIAN GONZALEZ CASE: THE POLITICS; While Conservatives and Liberals React, Gore and Bush Hedge on Ruling”, in The New York Times‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 September 2025:

     Conservative Republicans who had demanded an investigation and hearings when Elian, the 6-year-old Cuban boy, was forceably taken from the house of his great-uncle on April 22 quickly retreated when it was clear the public supported the government action.

Usage notes

• While used more in the past, modern use of forceably is often considered a misspelling of forcibly.