coercion

[ koh-ur-shuhn ]

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.

coercion

/ kəʊˈɜːsɪv; kəʊˈɜːʃən /

noun

1. the act or power of coercing
2. government by force

Derived Forms

• coˈercively, adverb
• coˈerciveness, noun
• coˈercionist, noun
• coercive, adjective

Other Words From

• co·ercion·ar·y adjective
• co·ercion·ist noun
• nonco·ercion noun
• proco·ercion adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coercion¹

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”; coerce ) + -iō -ion; replacing late Middle English cohercion, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

Food in Nigeria has long been weaponized, withheld, and used as a means of corruption and coercion by those in power.

From Eater

The complaint alleges that law enforcement deprived Alamance County voters “of their fundamental right to vote free from intimidation, harassment, threats, or other forms of coercion.”

From ProPublica

I started hearing about rampant sexual harassment, coercion and abuse of undocumented immigrant women in low-wage, temporary factory jobs.

From ProPublica

In the broadest sense, at home and internationally, the US is moving towards coercion and the exercise of hard power, and away from its previous strategies based on soft power and international leadership.

From No Straight News

In my work on wrongful conviction cases in Philadelphia, I regularly encounter patterns of police misconduct including witness intimidation, evidence tampering and coercion.

From No Straight News

Many out athletes found their voices silenced by coercion contracts many of their home countries gave them.

From The Daily Beast

That kind of government coercion of speech and action seems a-OK to the conservative liberty crowd.

From The Daily Beast

Help with onerous conditions is not help so much as benevolent coercion.

From The Daily Beast

We are watching an invasion using subversion, coercion, and somewhat limited military action.

From The Daily Beast

In hindsight, this was probably a mistake because it opened the door to legitimate charges of federal coercion.

From The Daily Beast

When together the law presumes she acted from his coercion, he therefore must be the sufferer, while she escapes.

From Project Gutenberg

Neither did Virginia believe in the national policy of coercion of a state to return to the Union.

From Project Gutenberg

The discussions on the coercion act had produced many personal conflicts in debate between Mr. O'Connell and the Irish secretary.

From Project Gutenberg

He argued that coercion was necessary; that crime could not be put down in Ireland but by the strong arm of the law.

From Project Gutenberg

Next session the government brought in a Coercion Bill, which Mr. Parnell opposed vigorously.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• duress
• intimidation
• persuasion