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

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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

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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

“Mr. Seaver began his campaign of threats, intimidation, and coercion a few weeks prior to Ms. Parton’s passing,” the filing, obtained by People, alleged.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

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

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

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

Chandresh was more than willing to let him organize the lighting, having already deemed him invaluable to the circus planning with only mild coercion.

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

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

It must be, therefore, necessary to supply the defects of education, and to produce, by salutary coercions, those effects which it is vain to expect from other causes.

From The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 10 Parlimentary Debates I by Samuel Johnson

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

From Pragmatism by William James

It was to be a series of moral coercions, either accomplished or attempted.

From Twenty Years of Congress, Volume 2 From Lincoln to Garfield, with a Review of the Events Which Led to the Political Revolution of 1860 by James Gillespie Blaine

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Related Words

• duress
• intimidation
• persuasion

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