COERCION Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

coercion

noun

kō-ˈər-zhən

Definition of coercion

as in pressure

the use of power to impose one's will on another a promise obtained by coercion is never binding

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of coercion Federal incentives attached to adoption fed the perception of coercion, even though the standards were developed outside the federal government and state adoption was voluntary. — Michael Casserly, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 However, coercion and the constant specter of war have also fed disillusionment and conflict fatigue. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 They must be understood within a system of coercion designed to separate children from their families, communities and Ukrainian identity. — Thom Reilly, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 Autonomy, in this light, is not simply the absence of coercion. — Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for coercion

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coercion

Noun

The Sun quincunxes Pluto, highlighting where careful effort meets control issues, hidden pressure, or shifting priorities.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
The project uses horror and darkly comic genre elements to approach the psychological pressures of motherhood, extending Urban’s interest in personal experience as a route into broader social and political terrain.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of pressure

Noun

At coarser levels, CBS detects and matches SIFT features while using epipolar constraints to estimate horizontal and vertical disparities.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Huang said that if not for these constraints, revenue growth next year would be even greater.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of constraint

Noun

The comedian has built her career by wringing laughs out of a compulsion to share her own worst thoughts about her body, life, and career through the lens of a glamorous cabaret diva.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
The administration is right that trust matters more than compulsion alone.

— Katrine Wallace, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of compulsion

Noun

Jacobs was initially arrested on five criminal charges, including a felony count of strangulation and suffocation as well as battery, criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct and intimidation of a victim.

— Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Ann Arbor, where El-Sayed lives, is home to a branch of the Free Palestine movement that has engaged in violent intimidation of Jewish Democrats.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of intimidation

Browse Nearby Words

coercing

coercion

coercions

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“Coercion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercion. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of coercion

noun

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