Coercion Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

coercion

noun

co·​er·​cion kō-ˈər-zhən How to pronounce coercion (audio)
-shən
: the act, process, or power of coercing
They used coercion to obtain the confession.

Examples of coercion in a Sentence

a promise obtained by coercion is never binding
Recent Examples on the Web So far, only 5% of that figure has been given. ‘People without mercy’ The RSF’s grip on food supplies is only part of a broadening system of coercion in Jazira, witness accounts indicate. Pallabi Munsi, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Kagan asks for evidence of government coercion Since social media platforms make decisions all the time about content, what’s the evidence that government prodding prompted the platforms to take action against the users who brought the challenge, Justice Elena Kagan wanted to know. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The administration responds that none of the actions the states complain about come close to problematic coercion. Mark Sherman, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 Alex Abdo, litigation director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which filed a brief in support of neither party, urged the court to clarify the constitutional line between coercion and persuasion. Ann Marimow, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 Democracies from multiple continents have come together to confront China’s economic coercion, counter its military buildup, and constrict its access to high-end semiconductors. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Expect lots of martial-arts action (both one-on-one and group fighting), including sometimes-intense scenes of widespread destruction and coercion and characters having their powers stolen to be used for evil. Common Sense Media, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Whether the locals had continued the operation by coercion or cooperation is unclear. Franz Lidz, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 The suit comes days after another legal filing in the world of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, this one from a former cast member of its New York variant claiming coercion and a callous nature toward cast members’ mental health and alleging some questionable-to-bad behavior from producers. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coercion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of coercion was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near coercion

Cite this Entry

“Coercion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coercion. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

coercion

noun
co·​er·​cion kō-ˈər-zhən, -shən How to pronounce coercion (audio)
: 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

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