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V2 Vocabulary Building Dictionary


coerce

verb

Definition: 1. to cause someone to act by force; 2. to compel or dominate someone to do something he or she does not wish to do

Synonyms: force, compel, pressure, strong-arm

Antonyms: allow

Tips: The noun form of coerce is coercion. Both words are derived from the Latin coercere, which means "to shut up in" or "to enclose." Thus, people who are coerced may feel as if they have no escape from being forced to do something. Coerce is a more sophisticated way of saying "force" and should be used anytime someone "pressures" or "forces" someone to do something that they don't want to do.

Usage Examples:

I didn't want to participate in the prank, but the others coerced me into doing it. (forced, pressured)

The bully got what he wanted, not by kindness, but by coercion. (force, pressure) noun

In order for your employees to respect you, you’re going to have to gain their trust rather than trying to coerce them into doing what you want. (force, pressure)

Getting him to stay silent about this is going to require some coercion. (pressure, persuasion) noun


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