coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv 

: serving or intended to coerce

coercive power

coercive measures

coercively adverb

coerciveness noun

Examples of coercive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, the drills highlight China’s preparations for blockading Taiwan, either as a stand-alone coercive measure or as a precursor to a full-scale invasion, experts say. —Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Oct. 2024

Policymakers can also use coercive tools that are more deniable or otherwise less visible to the public. —Erik Lin-Greenberg, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2024

According to the indictment, Combs has engaged in violent, abusive and coercive conduct toward women for many years. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 10 Oct. 2024

This form of abuse undermines a person’s economic independence and is a key element of coercive control. —Farida Bemba Nabourema, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

coerce + -ive

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing coercive

• coercive force

Legal Definition

coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv 

1

: serving or intended to coerce

2

: resulting from coercion

to protect women from coercive intimacy

—Kimberle Crenshaw