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

Park Geun-hye, who took over as President from 2013 but was impeached in 2017 amid a landmark corruption scandal, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for bribery and coercion. —Koh Ewe, TIME, 31 May 2024

The case is one of two this term in which the justices have wrestled with when government advocacy crosses a constitutional line into coercion. —Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 30 May 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