Coerce

Pronunciation

Origin

From Latin coercere ("to surround, encompass, restrain, control, curb"), from co- ("together") + arcere ("to inclose, confine, keep off"); see arcade, arcane, ark.

Full definition of coerce

Verb

1. To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb.
2. (transitive) to use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in attempt to compel one to act against his will.
3. (transitive, computing) to force an attribute, normally of a data type, to take on the attribute of another data type.

Synonyms

• compel
• bully
• dragoon

Derived terms

• coercion
• coercer
• coercee
• coercible