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
-
The massive frame and comically long wingspan of Victor Wembanyama seemed to intimidate Randle, who spent most possessions either deferring to his teammates or forcing his own shot.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
-
To stand a chance, Cîrstea had to refuse to be intimidated by Sabalenka’s phenomenally powerful hitting and considerable aura.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Baldwin will play the mayor of the town and Rose, who founded anti-cyber-bullying platform Babes Against Bullying, his daughter.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
Scott Rudin, who was the subject of allegations of bullying that provoked an industry reckoning on abusive workplace behavior in 2021, is a producer on the revival, which has become one of the unmissable events of the season.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The Leavenworth Police Department has yet to identify a man who allegedly attempted to coerce a 16-year-old into his vehicle in the city on Wednesday.—
Caroline Zimmerman
May 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
-
However, his pressure campaign against the central bank’s board and its current chairman, Jerome Powell, has grown into using the power of the federal government to bully and coerce.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strong-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strong-arm. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
