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.
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 Decades of cronyism and sanctions have stifled entrepreneurship, leaving businesses hesitant to invest in a coercive and opaque environment. Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024 The coercive crowd policing of the past doesn’t work, and often makes tense situations worse. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 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 5 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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