as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
a promise obtained by coercion is never binding
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Recent Examples of coercion
Of these, 37% engaged in violent scenarios that included physical harm, coercion and non-consensual acts.
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The Week Uk, TheWeek, 2 Jan. 2026
According to the 2024 Hong Seng Knitting Investigation Report, there was no evidence of systematic coercion of all workers to accept unpaid leave, though the investigator found some indications of possible coercion involving a small number of employees.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 29 Dec. 2025
Beijing will continue to use incremental tactics and economic coercion against neighbors to pressure them to decouple or distance themselves from Washington.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
Since the movie's release in September, the relationship between the two has soured and in the weeks leading up to the bond hearing the filmmaker in court filings accused Goudreau of deceit, financial coercion and threatening conduct.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coercion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coercion
Noun
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Auburn committed 26 against Texas' full- and half-court pressure with the Longhorns turning them into 40 points.—
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Polymer packaging requires injection molding, which normally uses high pressure.—
Noun
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China’s true constraints Beijing has not refrained from action against Taiwan out of deference to international law and norms.—
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That work—integrating hardware, software, sensors, safety systems, and real-world constraints—remains enormously difficult, slow, and capital-intensive.—
Noun
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These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress.—
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These obsessions and compulsions can vary from person to person.—
Noun
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In recent years Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of Taiwan, including by simulating blockades.—
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Those groups have been active in the streets, detaining opponents and reinforcing regime authority through intimidation.—
Noun
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Cruz and other Republicans argued the decision minimized the gravity of an attack on the judiciary and could encourage future political violence.—
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The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Cite this Entry
“Coercion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercion. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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