coercion
Americannoun
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the act of coercing; use of force or intimidation to obtain compliance.
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force or the power to use force in gaining compliance, as by a government or police force.
noun
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the act or power of coercing
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government by force
Other Word Forms
- coercionary adjective
- coercionist noun
- coercive adjective
- coercively adverb
- coerciveness noun
- noncoercion noun
- procoercion adjective
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”; coerce ) + -iō -ion; replacing late Middle English cohercion, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To prove undue influence, coercion and the lack of testamentary capacity, you would need doctor’s reports and a paper trail of evidence to make your case.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
There have also been glimpses of how China could use economic coercion.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Again and again during the final debate, the word that passed the lips of opponents to the bill was "coercion".
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
Balfour said: "As a disabled person, I know very well the risks not just of coercion, but of how society views disabled people, and how we can feel like a burden."
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
That at least has the dignity of coercion.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
