coercive
adjective
co·er·cive
kō-ˈər-siv 
: serving or intended to coerce
coercive power
coercive measures
coercively
adverb
coerciveness
noun
Examples of coercive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Launching a military operation and then assuming responsibility for governance shifts Washington toward a closed, coercive model of power – one that relies on force to establish authority and is prohibitively costly to sustain over time.
—
Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
In 2025 and 2026, reports of violent crackdowns including state killings, mass detentions, and intimidation have already emerged, signaling that repression remains the regime’s primary coercive tool.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
When someone misses deadlines or violates the rules, influential people address it calmly and directly by using coercive power.
—Melody Wilding, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2026
On social media, women have also reported receiving phone calls from community workers asking about their plans to have children – raising concern policies could take a coercive turn.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coercive
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Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
In 2025 and 2026, reports of violent crackdowns including state killings, mass detentions, and intimidation have already emerged, signaling that repression remains the regime’s primary coercive tool.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
When someone misses deadlines or violates the rules, influential people address it calmly and directly by using coercive power.
—Melody Wilding, CNBC, 4 Jan. 2026
On social media, women have also reported receiving phone calls from community workers asking about their plans to have children – raising concern policies could take a coercive turn.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coercive
Cite this Entry
“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coercive. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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coercive
adjective
co·er·cive
kō-ˈər-siv
1
: serving or intended to coerce
2
: resulting from coercion
to protect women from coercive intimacy—Kimberle Crenshaw
Kimberle CrenshawLove words? Need even more definitions?
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