as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
it took some arm-twisting, but they eventually agreed to make a donation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arm-twisting
Eric Stephens, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Trump seeks redistricting revenge in Indiana The Hoosier State is also in the spotlight because a handful of Republican legislators resisted Trump's arm-twisting to change their congressional boundaries in the House.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 5 May 2026
Secretly recorded telephone conversations of President Lyndon B. Johnson during his years in the White House reveal LBJ was a blunt, vulgar, scheming politician who was skilled at using a blend of bullying, puffery and arm-twisting to get his way.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Mar. 2026
Other players, however, insist that disarmament must commence first, or else any political process will be subjected to Hamas’s interference, and to arm-twisting by those who can exert influence with their guns and tunnels.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 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
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
Noun
Call it a figurative arm-twisting.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Trump seeks redistricting revenge in Indiana The Hoosier State is also in the spotlight because a handful of Republican legislators resisted Trump's arm-twisting to change their congressional boundaries in the House.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 5 May 2026
Secretly recorded telephone conversations of President Lyndon B. Johnson during his years in the White House reveal LBJ was a blunt, vulgar, scheming politician who was skilled at using a blend of bullying, puffery and arm-twisting to get his way.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Mar. 2026
Other players, however, insist that disarmament must commence first, or else any political process will be subjected to Hamas’s interference, and to arm-twisting by those who can exert influence with their guns and tunnels.
—Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arm-twisting
Noun
-
Beyond their immediate impact, experts say such attacks are part of a broader Russian strategy to sow fear among ordinary people and increase public pressure on Ukraine’s leaders to end the war.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
The rush for the exits by investors is reigniting anxiety over pressures in the global private markets industry.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
His process of doing so involved disparaging his accusers, browbeating people and institutions that no longer wanted to be associated with him, and refusing to accept a path that precluded a return to being a public figure.—
Elizabeth Spiers,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Analysts have suggested a vote from Waller in favor of interest rate cuts, aligning with the president’s browbeating demands for lower borrowing costs—could be seen as a bellwether for his candidacy.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Set the scene In the heart of the city’s museum quarter, this property is an ideal spot for tourists without budget constraints.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Data center capacity constraints, over-reliance on OpenAI and a Copilot assistant that trails rivals have challenged Microsoft’s early lead.—
Sebastian Herrera,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
August is a violent, domineering, bullying boss who starves and beats the animals in his circus and doesn’t treat his human workers much better.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2026
-
Keefer has emphasized student achievement and school safety, pointing to his support for programs focused on bullying prevention, suicide prevention and substance-use prevention as a Trustee.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
For me, one of these compulsions ended up being using the tracking app.—
Sara Rowe Mount,
Parents,
22 May 2026
-
In a clinical setting, mental health experts call such actions compulsions – behaviors that feel impossible to resist – are fueled by obsessive thoughts and eventually begin to interfere with a person’s ability to lead a normal, healthy life.—
Jordyn Tovey,
The Conversation,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Without a baseline of knowledge, climate tech can feel abstract or intimidating.—
Cyril PETIT,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
These barriers are especially intimidating when brands are looking to expand internationally — operational missteps can often lead to growth stagnation.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Misinformation spreads rapidly online, while voters increasingly worry about intimidation, administrative failures, and political interference in elections.—
Louie Sawi,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2026
-
Such orders are intended to prevent an individual from subjecting another person to acts of violence, intimidation or harassment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Pratt was just another angry New Yorker hectoring calumnies against all forms of authority.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
14 May 2026
-
Perhaps more meaningfully, the message is the antithesis of a contrived political pitch or a hectoring sermon.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arm-twisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arm-twisting. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
