Shell slender, fusiform, thick and solid with approximately 10 roundly inflated whorls in adults. Adult size variable; some specimens mature at small sizes (e.g. 57.2 mm, ANSP 29609), but average of 115.1 mm (n = 24). Protoconch small, inflated, smooth and glossy with two whorls. Sutures deeply impressed. Spiral sculpture of 10 to 12 sharp, clearly defined cords that vary in thickness and prominence, with occasional minor cords present between majors. Entire teleoconch bears broad, prominent axial ribs resembling ruches in cloth. Neck unusually thick at aperture, tapering to rounded distal tip; usually straight, though some rccurvature occasionally present in the distal third. Aperture and siphonal canal bordered by thick parietal shield in adults; columellar margin of shield and occasionally also of siphonal canal detached. Labral margin of aperture in adults bears regular dentition that corresponds in position to interstices of external spiral cords. Shell dull white overall, with occasional pale brown staining on uppermost whorls. Interior of aperture porcellaneous, white; margin of aperture and parietal shield occasionally stained pale brown in adult specimens. Periostracum thin, mid-brown with occasional greenish appearance, bearing fine thorns.

Fusinus forceps is here defined by the shell characters of Perry's figured specimen and of the dry material examined. The resultant rather narrow character set admittedly does not allow positive identification of certain shells to hand. Among the material here examined and variously identified as F forceps, E salisburyi and F perplexus, there is nevertheless a set that corresponds to Perry's figure in consistently lacking a pronounced peripheral cord or any other peripheral emphasis in whorl profile, and in having a thick, straight neck with little or no recurvature. In addition, the axial ribs persist over the entire teleoconch. These characters, together with the consistently smaller average adult size, are here held to separate F. forceps from its nearest congeners. F forceps is smaller than F salisburyi. from which it further differs by the strong axial ribs that persist onto the body whorl, as well as the consistently straight neck and absence of a dominant peripheral spiral cord.
Perry did not give any locality with his description, though shells corresponding exactly to his figure are more commonly found in the South China Sea and southern East China Sea.
Specimens from western Japan attributable to F. forceps are usually smaller than those from the Philippines and elsewhere in the western Pacific, where the species can exceed 150 mm in size. This species is apparently present in India; one specimen from there has been examined, but all the literature records so far seen (e.g. Samuel et all, 2005) lack illustrations.
Katagiri et al. (1986) reported E forceps from the Seto Inland Sea off Yamaguchi Prefecture, but as no illustration was given and the species is otherwise unknown from that area this record is at best uncertain.