coerce

verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

transitive verb

1

: to compel to an act or choice

was coerced into agreeing

abusers who coerce their victims into silence

2

: to achieve by force or threat

coerce compliance

coerce obedience

3

: to restrain or dominate by force

religion in the past has tried to coerce the irreligious

—W. R. Inge

coercible

kō-ˈər-sə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• blackjack
• compel
• constrain
• dragoon
• drive
• force
• impel
• impress
• make
• muscle
• obligate
• oblige
• press
• pressure
• sandbag

Choose the Right Synonym for coerce

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige mean to make someone or something yield.

force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

forced to flee for their lives

compel typically suggests overcoming of resistance or unwillingness by an irresistible force.

compelled to admit my mistake

coerce suggests overcoming resistance or unwillingness by actual or threatened violence or pressure.

coerced into signing over the rights

constrain suggests the effect of a force or circumstance that limits freedom of action or choice.

constrained by conscience

oblige implies the constraint of necessity, law, or duty.

felt obliged to go

Examples of coerce in a Sentence

A confession was coerced from the suspect by police.

was coerced into signing the document

Recent Examples on the Web

Read more Iraq The World's Selective Outrage—Alawite Massacres in Syria Deserve Our Attention | Opinion The Asayish, Kurdistan's official security organization, regularly targets Assyrians in the Nahla Valley, coercing them to sign fake concessions. —David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025

These tariffs were originally intended to pressure Mexico to step up immigration enforcement at the U.S. border, and to coerce all three countries into doing more to limit illicit fentanyl trafficking into the United States. —Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2025

Spiro said the investigators who approached Jane Doe did not coerce or threaten her. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 12 Mar. 2025

Hard power also requires the maintenance of a strong military to coerce or bully others through abrasive interactions and to constantly mitigate threats. —Matthew Clary, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English coarcen, coercen, borrowed from Anglo-French *cohercer, borrowed (with conjugation change) from Latin coercēre "to confine, shut up, restrict, restrain," from co- co- + arcēre "to hold in, prevent from approaching, keep away" — more at ark

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for coerce

• adverse
• averse
• disburse
• disperse
• diverse
• immerse
• inverse
• obverse
• perverse
• rehearse
• reverse
• transverse

Kids Definition

coerce

verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

: to cause someone to do something by force or threat

coercion

-ˈər-zhən

-shən

noun

coercive

-ˈər-siv

adjective

Legal Definition

coerce

transitive verb

co·​erce kō-ˈərs 

coerced; coercing

: to subject (a person) to coercion compare importune, solicit