coercion

noun

co·​er·​cion kō-ˈər-zhən 

-shən

: the act, process, or power of coercing

They used coercion to obtain the confession.

Synonyms

• arm-twisting
• compulsion
• constraint
• duress
• force
• pressure

Examples of coercion in a Sentence

a promise obtained by coercion is never binding

Recent Examples on the Web

That kind of coercion is why women hold roughly 70% of the lowest-wage jobs in the U.S. economy, and why, like Akari, those women are disproportionately moms of young kids. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 June 2024

When should guidance be replaced by the full power of state coercion? —Dan Hannan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024

Per Billboard, Steel argued the meeting taking place without defense counsel present could have potentially involved coercion of a witness and was clear grounds for a mistrial. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 13 June 2024

They were arrested by the Orange County White Collar Crime Task Force and charged with grand larceny and coercion. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 5 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cohercion, borrowed from Anglo-French cohercioun, borrowed from Late Latin coerctiōn-, coerctiō, by-form of Latin coercitiōn-, coercitiō, from coerci-, variant stem of coercēre "to coerce" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

coercion

noun

co·​er·​cion kō-ˈər-zhən, -shən 

: the use of express or implied threats of violence or reprisal (as discharge from employment) or other intimidating behavior that puts a person in immediate fear of the consequences in order to compel that person to act against his or her will

also : the defense that one acted under coercion see also defense, duress compare undue influence