Meaning & use

coercion

noun·Academic

The practice of persuading someone to do something through force or threats.

See it in a sentence

The confession was thrown out because it was obtained through coercion.

Employees should never sign contracts under coercion from their supervisors.

A note on using this word

Coercion implies force or intimidation, unlike persuasion, which relies on reasoning rather than threats.

Words with a similar meaning

forcecompulsionpressure

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

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