coercion
noun
co·er·cion kō-ˈər-zhən 
-shən
: the act, process, or power of coercing
They used coercion to obtain the confession.
Synonyms
- arm-twisting
- compulsion
- constraint
- duress
- force
- pressure
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a promise obtained by coercion is never binding
Recent Examples on the Web And that anyone who claims otherwise is only in need of coercion or bullying to succumb. 
Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 All of this means that the new group of Ethereum validators could prove more vulnerable to government coercion than the old Ethereum miners were. Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, 19 Aug. 2022 The governments knew full well that without the protection of the U.S. they would be exposed to Soviet coercion. CBS News, 29 June 2022 But for the farmers in Madou township, the impact of China’s economic coercion has already been felt. Gladys Tsai, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022 China also has turned to forms of economic coercion such as import bans in disagreements with Australia, Canada and others. Charles Hutzler, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 As Taiwan stands firm, and Beijing grows more desperate, the level of Chinese coercion could increase—at some point perhaps convincing the Communist leadership that only war can capture Taiwan. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2022 Yet China’s opposition to sanctions does not seem to stop it from deploying economic coercion against businesses and countries that anger it. Mary Hui, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2022 The American president can no longer pretend that economic coercion alone will do the trick. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 26 Feb. 2022 See More
Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 All of this means that the new group of Ethereum validators could prove more vulnerable to government coercion than the old Ethereum miners were. Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, 19 Aug. 2022 The governments knew full well that without the protection of the U.S. they would be exposed to Soviet coercion. CBS News, 29 June 2022 But for the farmers in Madou township, the impact of China’s economic coercion has already been felt. Gladys Tsai, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022 China also has turned to forms of economic coercion such as import bans in disagreements with Australia, Canada and others. Charles Hutzler, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 As Taiwan stands firm, and Beijing grows more desperate, the level of Chinese coercion could increase—at some point perhaps convincing the Communist leadership that only war can capture Taiwan. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2022 Yet China’s opposition to sanctions does not seem to stop it from deploying economic coercion against businesses and countries that anger it. Mary Hui, Quartz, 3 Mar. 2022 The American president can no longer pretend that economic coercion alone will do the trick. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 26 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English cohercion, borrowed from Anglo-French cohercioun, borrowed from Late Latin coerctiōn-, coerctiō, by-form of Latin coercitiōn-, coercitiō, from coerci-, variant stem of coercēre "to coerce" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
coercion
noun
co·er·cion kō-ˈər-zhən, -shən
: the use of express or implied threats of violence or reprisal (as discharge from employment) or other intimidating behavior that puts a person in immediate fear of the consequences in order to compel that person to act against his or her will
also : the defense that one acted under coercion see also defense, duress compare undue influence
coercion
noun
as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another a promise obtained by coercion is never binding Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pressure
- compulsion
- constraint
- intimidation
- violence
- duress
- arm-twisting
- threat
- force
- fear
- bullying
- terrorism
- stress
- terror
- menace
- browbeating
- sword
- bulldozing
- strength
- muscle
- might
- squeeze
- potency
- willfulness
- squeeze play
- puissance
- self-will
- hardheadedness
- strain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- consent
- agreement
- approval
- permission
- persuasion
- reason
- suasion
- convincing