coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv How to pronounce coercive (audio)
: serving or intended to coerce
coercive power
coercive measures
coercively adverb
coerciveness noun

Examples of coercive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Each act of coercion will require a bespoke reaction, but a common toolkit of punitive measures (for example, retaliatory tariffs against the coercive country) and mitigative ones (for example, financial aid to the target) will enable faster and more persuasive coordinated responses. Geoffrey Gertz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2025 That’s because the steps necessary to make coercive threats credible enough to work are themselves costly. Rosemary Kelanic, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2025 Secretary Rubio commended Canada for confronting the CCP's coercive and unfair economic practices. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 The patrol union filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, citing that Vail Resorts refused to bargain and engaged in coercive behavior. Megan Michelson, Outside Online, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for coercive 

Word History

Etymology

coerce + -ive

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coercive was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near coercive

Cite this Entry

“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coercive. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Legal Definition

coercive

adjective
co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv How to pronounce coercive (audio)
1
: serving or intended to coerce
2
: resulting from coercion
to protect women from coercive intimacyKimberle Crenshaw
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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