coercion

American  

[koh-ur-shuhn] / koʊˈɜr ʃən /

noun

• coercions
  plural

1. the act of coercing; use of force or intimidation to obtain compliance.

2. force or the power to use force in gaining compliance, as by a government or police force.

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coercion British  

/ kəʊˈɜːʃən /

noun

1. the act or power of coercing

2. government by force

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coercionist
  noun
• coerciveness
  noun
• noncoercion
  noun
• coercionary
  adjective
• coercive
  adjective
• procoercion
  adjective
• coercively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• coercions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of coercion

First recorded in 1515–25; from Medieval Latin coerciōn- stem of coerciō, shortened from coercitiō, from coercit(us) “restrained” (past participle of coercēre “to hold in, restrain”; see coerce) + -iō -ion; replacing late Middle English cohercion, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Explanation

Coercion is making something happen by force, like when bullies use coercion to make kids give them their lunch money. Coercion can be a threat, "The shady lawyer uses coercion when he threatens to get the waiter fired if he doesn't rat out his boss," or it can be actual brute force, as when the gangster breaks the messenger's leg to keep her from talking to the police. The police might use coercion, too, to get a confession. The prefix co- is derived from the Latin word for "together." So you can't use coercion on yourself; you need someone else to force into doing something.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coercion coercions

The notification requirement, he said, was intended to establish whether a conversion was voluntary, while allowing the state to act against those brought about by fraud, coercion or inducement.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

But the implication of overt coercion is always bubbling beneath the surface.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

She’s Alive also sued Seaver, alleging that he carried out a deliberate campaign to interfere with the company’s business relationships with threats and coercion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Economist Guillaume Liby said African countries were "tackling the problem from the wrong end: coercion".

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

The conversation that follows involves more creative coercion than outright job offer, and there are several deviations into the subjects of the ballet, modern fashion, and Japanese mythology.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Who knows what coercions they deployed back in the day to corral those students into submission; at least that’s the fear evinced by today’s new campus dating policies.

From Newsweek ● Mar. 20, 2015

Those peaceable coercions which are in the power of every nation, if undertaken in concert and in time of peace, are more likely to produce the desired effect.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 3 by Thomas Jefferson Randolph

Between the coercions of the sensible order and those of the ideal order, our mind is thus wedged tightly.

From Pragmatism by William James

The coercions of this virtual captivity extended to the stipulations of the treaty presently formulated.

From The Story of Old Fort Loudon by Mary Noailles Murfree

They are products of the effort of each to live as well as he can, and they are coercions which hold and control each in his efforts to live well.

From Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals by William Graham Sumner

Related Words

• duress
• intimidation
• persuasion