as in to intimidate
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
developers trying to strong-arm homeowners into selling their houses at below-market prices
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 strong-arm
Hezbollah, for the longest time, was strong-arming other parties, and they are accused of assassinating a former Prime Minister.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Now, the question of whether the US could again use force – or tactics like tariffs or sanctions – to strong-arm countries into choosing Washington’s interests over ties with China is a viable risk being evaluated in the region’s capitals.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
The government has previously tried to charge Lemon in a steadily escalating campaign involving a string of highly unusual legal moves to strong-arm courts into conceding to its demands.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
The White House’s push to suppress the Smithsonian’s programming is part of an attempt to strong-arm influential cultural institutions and, in turn, culture itself.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strong-arm
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Now, the question of whether the US could again use force – or tactics like tariffs or sanctions – to strong-arm countries into choosing Washington’s interests over ties with China is a viable risk being evaluated in the region’s capitals.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
The government has previously tried to charge Lemon in a steadily escalating campaign involving a string of highly unusual legal moves to strong-arm courts into conceding to its demands.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
The White House’s push to suppress the Smithsonian’s programming is part of an attempt to strong-arm influential cultural institutions and, in turn, culture itself.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for strong-arm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strong-arm
Verb
-
Uzbekistan, playing in its first World Cup, was not intimidated by the big stage, weathering a withering Colombia attack in a 3-1 loss.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
As a result, bodyweight exercises may feel more approachable and sustainable for beginners or even people intimidated by going to a gym.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Bonnie's new device Lilypad initially causes problems with this, leading her to be brutally bullied in a group chat and shamed into rejecting her toys.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
Williams called Valkyries fans bullies in an Instagram Live stream earlier this week, and by Friday night, Chase Center had the receipts.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Weger later insisted he had been coerced into making the confession.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
-
The decentralized group, created by 15-year-old Bradley Chance Cadenhead in Stephenville, targets children through social media, gaming platforms and messaging apps to coerce them into self-harm and sharing explicit content.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strong-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strong-arm. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
