coerce

verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

transitive verb

1

: to compel to an act or choice

was coerced into agreeing

abusers who coerce their victims into silence

2

: to achieve by force or threat

coerce compliance

coerce obedience

3

: to restrain or dominate by force

religion in the past has tried to coerce the irreligious

—W. R. Inge

coercible

kō-ˈər-sə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• compel
• force
• obligate
• oblige

Choose the Right Synonym for coerce

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige mean to make someone or something yield.

force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

Examples of coerce in a Sentence

A confession was coerced from the suspect by police.

was coerced into signing the document

Recent Examples on the Web

The judge cited testimony from another former girlfriend, Jane, who said Combs later assaulted her and coerced her into oral sex with an escort. —Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025

Questioning earlier medical evidence that the victims suffered brain injuries, the assessment also relied on a controversial study by the National Institutes of Health that was later shut down after an internal review confirmed some patients were coerced to participate. —Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025

In January 2010, a five-day hearing was held in the circuit court to hear testimony about Dassey's motion, much of which focused on evidence that his confession was coerced and that his trial counsel was ineffective. —Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025

Stefon Flowers coerced at least four women into prostitution for his financial gain over the course of three months in 2023, according to a news release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English coarcen, coercen, borrowed from Anglo-French *cohercer, borrowed (with conjugation change) from Latin coercēre "to confine, shut up, restrict, restrain," from co- co- + arcēre "to hold in, prevent from approaching, keep away" — more at ark

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for coerce

• adverse
• averse
• disburse
• disperse
• diverse
• immerse
• inverse
• obverse
• perverse
• rehearse
• reverse
• transverse

Kids Definition

coerce

verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

: to cause someone to do something by force or threat

coercion

-ˈər-zhən

-shən

noun

coercive

-ˈər-siv

adjective

Legal Definition

coerce

transitive verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

: to subject (a person) to coercion compare importune, solicit