coercion

[koh-ur-shuhn]

noun

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.

coercion

/ kəʊˈɜːsɪv, kəʊˈɜːʃən /

noun

1. the act or power of coercing

2. government by force

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of coercion¹

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”; coerce ) + -iō -ion; replacing late Middle English cohercion, from Middle French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

She says she got frustrated with the lengthy investigation process, which she believes gave him plenty of opportunity for coercion and control.

From BBC

The real question is whether the public, Congress and courts will back institutions that protect media independence from coercion.

From Salon

Brazil's chief prosecutor has charged the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro with coercion, according to an official statement on Monday.

From BBC

“The law is clear: competition, not coercion, should decide what news channels Americans can watch. By leveraging its must-have status, Fox has blocked new voices, suppressed consumer choice, and extracted excess profits.”

From Salon

"There was never any coercion, violence, or protest between us," he said, referring to Arnould.

From BBC

Related Words

• duress 
• intimidation 
• persuasion