as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
a promise obtained by coercion is never binding
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Recent Examples of coercion
Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.
—
Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The most violent and thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield.
—James Powel, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
That is why a growing body of work now treats blockade, quarantine and graduated coercion not as sideshows to invasion, but as the more plausible opening chapters of the war.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Soft power is the ability to influence international relations through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coercion
Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The most violent and thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield.
—James Powel, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
That is why a growing body of work now treats blockade, quarantine and graduated coercion not as sideshows to invasion, but as the more plausible opening chapters of the war.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Soft power is the ability to influence international relations through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coercion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coercion
Noun
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Though Kazakhs speaking out against China’s policies in Xinjiang have long faced pressure, advocacy groups say this is the first time such a large group of Xinjiang activists has been imprisoned in the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The ulcers are caused by prolonged pressure, often while patients are unable to move in a hospital bed.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While an Anthropic spokesperson has said publicly that the AI lab does not degrade its models to better serve demand, there are reasons to believe the company is facing more acute constraints than some rivals.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
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Our method relaxes that constraint, allowing scientists to explore materials that were not practical before.—
Andrei Derevianko,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Writing, on the other hand, is my lifeline—a compulsion, a joy, and sometimes agony.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
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Family photo For Strausman, like so many artists of all skill levels, creating became a compulsion of the spirit.—
Steve Hartman,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Following mounting pressure from Russian law enforcement and escalating political intimidation, Allakhverdiyeva ultimately fled to Berlin.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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Tramell McHenry, 18, is charged with murder, auto theft and intimidation.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Esther says Kim told her that, at times, that need for control boiled over into violence.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Emmline Toussaint, main coordinator of Mary’s Meals' BND school-feeding program in Haiti, said that gas stations in some regions are selling fuel 25% to 30% higher than even what the government stipulated because of gang violence and difficulties with trucks trying to access certain areas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coercion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercion. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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