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

The alternative to accommodation is for the United States to coerce South Korea into giving up on nuclearization by threatening economic sanctions and exclusion from the market for nuclear materials. —Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024

Terrorism requires the death to be intended to intimidate or coerce the population or influence government policy. —Erin Keller, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024

For a crime to be considered terrorism, the government must prove that the perpetrator intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a unit of government or affect the conduct of a unit of government. —Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024

Terrorism is considered an act that is intended to: intimidate or coerce a civilian population; influence the policy of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion; or affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination, or kidnapping. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024

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

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