Coercion is the use of force, pressure, or authority to make someone do something they would not freely choose to do. It is often used in legal, political, or everyday contextssituations or settings in which something happens or is discussed when consentagreement or permission given by a person is not truly voluntarydone by one’s own choice, without being compelled.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /koʊ-ˈɝː-ʃən/
Easy pronunciation: koh-UR-shun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: UR.
Noun meaning forcing someone to act or agree.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Coercion Meaning
forcing someone to act or agree
Part of speech: noun
Definition: using force to cause something to happen or make someone do something
Example: They said the deal was signed under coercion.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- compulsion — A close match for the sense of forcing action or agreement.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Coercion
Meaning 2
making someone do something by using official power or authority
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of compelling by force of authority
Example: The witness claimed he answered the questions under coercion from the police.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Coercion Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- compulsion
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using coercion for any kind of persuasion: coercion implies pressure, force, or authority, not just convincing someone.
- Treating coercion as a synonym of encouragement or negotiation.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does coercion mean?
Coercion means forcing someone to do something by using pressure, force, or authority instead of free choice.
Is coercion the same as persuasion?
No. Persuasion tries to convince someone, while coercion involves pressure or force that limits free choice.
What is a synonym for coercion?
A strong synonym for coercion is compulsion.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-30. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
