as in forcing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
was coerced into signing the document
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 coercing
Meyers is also accused of coercing the 15-year-old into recording the high school’s wrestling team, the complaint alleges.
—
Brittany Kubicko, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Guevara and two colleagues, Mason and then-Detective Ernest Halvorson, orchestrated a frame-up by coercing one witness to identify Rios by beating him with a phone book and flashlight, and another by threatening to charge him with obstruction, according to the plaintiffs’ allegations.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Guevara denied coercing that witness's testimony during the trial, and a judge later convicted Diaz and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
—Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
However, this kind of rethinking of coverage is not about coercing people to accept worse care in exchange for money.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
Fraud rings frequently prey on vulnerable people — including immigrants and the unhoused — coercing them to intentionally cause or stage accidents in exchange for the promise of large payouts.
—Elizabeth Heck, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
The decision typically comes down to whether the government is coercing the public and specifics about who's involved and the intent.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
This would likely mean seizing more resources inside Yemen—for example, by capturing the oil-rich governorate of Marib east of Sanaa—or by coercing Saudi Arabia into offering new financial concessions.
—April Longley Alley, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2025
There were more damning allegations made by Burrowes against Diddy, which included Combs coercing Burrowes to make changes in Biggie’s record deal with Bad Boy to make the terms more lucrative and favorable for the label.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 3 Dec. 2025
Brittany Kubicko, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Guevara and two colleagues, Mason and then-Detective Ernest Halvorson, orchestrated a frame-up by coercing one witness to identify Rios by beating him with a phone book and flashlight, and another by threatening to charge him with obstruction, according to the plaintiffs’ allegations.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Guevara denied coercing that witness's testimony during the trial, and a judge later convicted Diaz and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
—Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
However, this kind of rethinking of coverage is not about coercing people to accept worse care in exchange for money.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
Fraud rings frequently prey on vulnerable people — including immigrants and the unhoused — coercing them to intentionally cause or stage accidents in exchange for the promise of large payouts.
—Elizabeth Heck, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
The decision typically comes down to whether the government is coercing the public and specifics about who's involved and the intent.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 23 Jan. 2026
This would likely mean seizing more resources inside Yemen—for example, by capturing the oil-rich governorate of Marib east of Sanaa—or by coercing Saudi Arabia into offering new financial concessions.
—April Longley Alley, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2025
There were more damning allegations made by Burrowes against Diddy, which included Combs coercing Burrowes to make changes in Biggie’s record deal with Bad Boy to make the terms more lucrative and favorable for the label.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coercing
Verb
-
Instead of forcing lasers to synchronize phases, the lantern simply merges their outputs efficiently.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The strikes on Chiyah were followed by more airstrikes on nearby areas, forcing Lebanese troops to close roads where al-Qard al-Hasan branches are located to ensure people's safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Justice Department initially said that its release, made in response to a law passed by Congress compelling the agency to disclose nearly all files related to Epstein, comprised more than 3 million pages.—
Elliott Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
City staff, however, expressed concerns about the request, compelling the recycling plant to instead propose a new shear in the same location as the current one and reducing the new shear's size.—
Jessie Christopher Smith,
Oklahoman,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The unions argue that carrying out permanent layoffs during a funding lapse violates the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from obligating funds without congressional authorization, and exceeds executive authority under the Administrative Procedure Act.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
-
This document, signed by a sponsor, is a legally enforceable contract obligating the sponsor to support the immigrant and prevent them from relying on public aid.—
Daniel Shoer Roth,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In civil aerospace, for example, Rolls is benefiting as manufacturers Airbus and Boeing struggle to deliver new aircraft at the pace the market requires — obliging airlines to keep flying old planes (and their engines) for longer.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Black has sometimes driven for miles to a particular cemetery only to find a funeral under way, obliging him to leave empty-handed.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coercing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercing. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
