as in unwilling
not made or done willingly or by choice
coerced participation that couldn't last
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in forced
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
was coerced into signing the document
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Recent Examples of coerced
Samer Sinijlawi, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2025
Prosecutors retried one of the men, John Kogut – who had made a coerced confession to the murder – but he was acquitted.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Winters writes that this initial system of coerced labor didn’t go very well for the elites.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025
Like Netflix's popular 2015 docuseries Making a Murderer, The Yogurt Shop Murders explores unethical interrogation tactics used by law enforcement and questions of coerced confessions.
—EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
According to the recent court filings, members are coerced to provide all of the labor in the GCCA compound without compensation.
—Jane Borden, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
Russia’s Defense and Foreign Ministries have not responded to CNN’s request for comment on allegations that some recruits were misled or coerced.
—Larry Madowo, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Butt maintains his innocence, claiming his confession was coerced through torture, and that evidence against him was planted, The Daily Telegraph reported.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The uncle alleged that the donations made by Yamagami’s mother, which by then totalled seven hundred thousand dollars, had been coerced.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Starks defended Porter by saying Andrews and other witnesses were coerced into giving their statements to police.
—Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
The revelation also comes amid the growing fallout of allegations that Tran illegally coerced witnesses to secure guilty verdicts at trial.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Finally, Logan coerced Jake to admit to peeling the paper.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Deradicalization is equally vital—not as a coerced reeducation, but as part of a healing process that encompasses Israelis as well as Palestinians.
—Samer Sinijlawi, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2025
Prosecutors retried one of the men, John Kogut – who had made a coerced confession to the murder – but he was acquitted.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
Winters writes that this initial system of coerced labor didn’t go very well for the elites.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025
Like Netflix's popular 2015 docuseries Making a Murderer, The Yogurt Shop Murders explores unethical interrogation tactics used by law enforcement and questions of coerced confessions.
—EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Being coerced into recreational activities against your will suggests a unique type of loneliness—for Sutkowski, one that represents emotional trials far deeper than just an unhappy season in dusty cleats.
—Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
According to the recent court filings, members are coerced to provide all of the labor in the GCCA compound without compensation.
—Jane Borden, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026
Russia’s Defense and Foreign Ministries have not responded to CNN’s request for comment on allegations that some recruits were misled or coerced.
—Larry Madowo, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Butt maintains his innocence, claiming his confession was coerced through torture, and that evidence against him was planted, The Daily Telegraph reported.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The uncle alleged that the donations made by Yamagami’s mother, which by then totalled seven hundred thousand dollars, had been coerced.
—E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Starks defended Porter by saying Andrews and other witnesses were coerced into giving their statements to police.
—Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
The revelation also comes amid the growing fallout of allegations that Tran illegally coerced witnesses to secure guilty verdicts at trial.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Finally, Logan coerced Jake to admit to peeling the paper.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coerced
Adjective
-
For years, Kraft Heinz has underinvested in its brands, and executives appeared unwilling to change that strategy, Piper Sandler analyst Michael Lavery wrote in a note to clients on Wednesday.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
One question that came up is what else any city would be willing or unwilling to fly.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The defense forced three turnovers, Jason Myers kicked a Super Bowl-record five field goals, and running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards to earn most valuable player as the Seahawks finished the season with 10 consecutive victories.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Anutin has been prime minister only since last September, after serving in the Cabinet of his immediate predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was forced out of office for an ethics violation regarding mishandling relations with Cambodia.—
GRANT PECK,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Of course, some of the best opportunities to experience the world's game will be unofficial and unplanned—from spontaneous pickup games to late-night football anthem sing-alongs.—
Hannah Towey,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Scientists now think chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is an autoimmune disease, at least for most people.—
Ruth Jessen Hickman,
Health,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Anecdotes like these are the reason Wong felt compelled to start documenting mahjong traditions.—
Grace Hwang Lynch,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Never has Congress compelled the testimony of a former president under threat of contempt charges.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
These pressures are not accidental.—
Steve Hershey,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Why This Moment Matters The timing of this shift isn’t accidental.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
James obliged, but the Heat still capitalized on the moment by selling T-shirts of him in the original black mask.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ice princesses are obliged to be polite and palatable at all times, often at the expense of their humanity.—
Jasmine Wynn,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Unprompted, Campbell offered an apology to reporters for declining to speak after the Super Bowl, something players are obligated to do by league policy.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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Note, unlike with excursions booked through cruise lines, ships aren't obligated to wait for you if third-party operators run late.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coerced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coerced. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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