as in persistent
formal
using force or threats to make someone do something; using coercion
coercive measures
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Recent Examples of coercive
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coercive
Adjective
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After all, a number of hurdles, from persistent inflation to market volatility and uncertainty around long-term purchasing power, have been impacting people's retirement portfolios.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
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Yet there is a persistent ideology that women shouldn’t get paid for their work, Milton said.—
Alison Saldanha,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The energy-sapping pace of the game, with furious pressing and frenzied chasing, saw mistakes creep in, with Morocco caught flat by Nicolas Jackson’s 38th-minute pass to Iliman Ndiaye, whose shot was saved by Bounou.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
18 Jan. 2026
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As interest in personalized health technology continues to expand, SoundHealth’s latest offering reflects a broader effort to apply artificial intelligence and clinical research to everyday wellness challenges, with sleep remaining one of the most pressing.—
SoundHealth,
New York Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercive. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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