Meaning & use
Jawboning
Last updated
The use of persuasion, pressure, or public statements—rather than formal rules or force—to influence behavior, especially in politics or economics.
See it in a sentence
The central bank relied on jawboning to discourage excessive borrowing before raising interest rates.
Through jawboning and private phone calls, the president persuaded the company to reverse its price hike.
A note on using this word
"Jawboning" became especially popular in American political and economic journalism during the mid-20th century to describe informal official pressure.
Words with a similar meaning
arm-twistingpressuring
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