coercion

American  

[koh-ur-shuhn] / koʊˈɜr ʃən /

noun

1. the act of coercing; use of force or intimidation to obtain compliance.

2. force or the power to use force in gaining compliance, as by a government or police force.

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coercion British  

/ kəʊˈɜːsɪv, kəʊˈɜːʃən /

noun

1. the act or power of coercing

2. government by force

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Other Word Forms

• coercionary adjective
• coercionist noun
• coercive adjective
• coercively adverb
• coerciveness noun
• noncoercion noun
• procoercion adjective

Etymology

Origin of coercion

First recorded in 1515–25; from Medieval Latin coerciōn- stem of coerciō, shortened from coercitiō, from coercit(us) “restrained” (past participle of coercēre “to hold in, restrain”; see coerce) + -iō -ion; replacing late Middle English cohercion, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Explanation

Coercion is making something happen by force, like when bullies use coercion to make kids give them their lunch money. Coercion can be a threat, "The shady lawyer uses coercion when he threatens to get the waiter fired if he doesn't rat out his boss," or it can be actual brute force, as when the gangster breaks the messenger's leg to keep her from talking to the police. The police might use coercion, too, to get a confession. The prefix co- is derived from the Latin word for "together." So you can't use coercion on yourself; you need someone else to force into doing something.

Example Sentences

The calamities each couple faces spin out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

"Paying a toll legitimises Iran's coercion and sets a precedent under international law that other regimes may want to pursue," wrote Guntram Wolff, senior researcher at the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

To prove undue influence, coercion and the lack of testamentary capacity, you would need doctor’s reports and a paper trail of evidence to make your case.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Washington and its partners, they say, should use the window to build a comprehensive deterrence strategy that addresses nonmilitary coercion as effectively as it does conventional conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Their alternative—there was an alternative, of course, since Milo detested coercion and was a vocal champion of freedom of choice—was to starve.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• duress
• intimidation
• persuasion