arm-twisting

noun

arm-twist·​ing ˈärm-ˌtwi-stiŋ 

plural arm-twistings

: the act or practice of forcing or obliging people to do things they do not want to do in order to achieve a desired end

His mastery of the Congress was celebrated … mostly because of his arm-twisting … in lining up votes.

—Joe Klein

Playing the violin, she reminds people, was always something she wanted to do; no parental arm-twisting was necessary.

—K. Robert Schwarz

arm-twist

ˈärm-ˌtwist 

transitive verb

arm-twisted; arm-twisting; arm-twists

[Aubrey] Plaza's character could be presented as a victim of circumstance, the clichéd heist-movie character arm-twisted into one last job.

—Ross Douthat

arm-twister noun

plural arm-twisters

Call them the arm-twisters—the senior campaign aides and Democratic leaders who are in the forefront of courting, cajoling, and capturing the superdelegates.

—Kenneth T. Walsh et al.

Synonyms

• pressure
• constraint
• compulsion
• intimidation
• coercion

Examples of arm-twisting in a Sentence

it took some arm-twisting, but they eventually agreed to make a donation

Recent Examples on the Web

Some arm-twisting to get the big stars to sign up and buy in. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025

Ordinarily, any arm-twisting or horse-trading is done behind the scenes, and typically the winning candidate has been able to wrap up the race within days of the November election. —John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

This big, beautiful bill fulfills all the promises in the America First agenda. SCOTT (voice over): But getting it over the finish line took arm-twisting and deal-making. —ABC News, 6 July 2025

After arm-twisting and cajoling lawmakers overnight, Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hailed what is likely to be the most significant piece of legislation enacted during the president’s second term. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 4 July 2025

The president's arm-twisting ahead of a House Rules Committee meeting currently set for 1am Wednesday puts heavy pressure on GOP holdouts on a range of sticking points. —Daniel Moore, Axios, 20 May 2025

Thune has also tried to describe Trump’s arm-twisting of Zelensky in nobler language. —David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025

After a long day of arm-twisting and internal party clashes, House Republicans on Tuesday narrowly passed their plan to advance President Donald Trump's legislative agenda. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for arm-twisting

• assisting
• blacklisting
• consisting
• delisting
• enlisting
• existing
• insisting
• persisting
• resisting
• subsisting
• coexisting
• preexisting