coercion
koh-ER-shun
/kəʊˈɜː.ʃən/
The practice of persuading someone to do something by using force, threats, or intimidation.
Nullifies genuine consent; the victim acts against their free will out of fear of severe consequences.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'coercere' ('to surround, enclose, or physically restrain'), the word originally described locking up prisoners. By the 17th century, it evolved to describe compelling obedience through implicit or explicit threats.
Word relationships
- duress: Duress is a specific legal term for compulsion by direct threat, whereas coercion is a broader social and political concept.
- intimidation: Intimidation focuses on generating fear, while coercion is the overall enforcement of compliance.
- volition: The act of making a free choice without force or compulsion.
- persuasion: Winning voluntary agreement through reason, appeal, or argument.
Commonly confused with
- persuasion: Persuasion relies on argument and choice, while coercion forces compliance through threats.
Word family
- coerce (verb): To compel someone to act against their will through force or threats.
- coercive (adjective): Relating to or using force or threats to compel compliance.
Collocations
- coercion and threats
- economic coercion
- use of coercion
- under coercion
Example sentences
- "The defense attorney argued that the written confession was legally invalid because it was extracted under severe coercion." Legal court trial
- "Economic blockades can serve as a non-military form of international coercion to force treaty compliance." Geopolitical relations
Memory hook
COERCE forces a person into a CORNER where they must obey. Forcing action through threats.
When not to use
Do not use when someone is convinced by logical arguments or polite requests without implicit or explicit threats.
Fun facts
- In contract law, any legal agreement signed under coercion is voidable because free consent is legally required.
Related words
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