coercive

adjective

co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv How to pronounce coercive (audio)
: serving or intended to coerce
coercive power
coercive measures
coercively adverb
coerciveness noun

Examples of coercive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cartwright has also been accused of controlling and coercive behaviour between May 1, 2022, and April 14, 2024, The Times reported. Becca Longmire, People.com, 9 July 2025 Shallow looks back on how her parents met in the commune; how a community that first felt supportive turned coercive; and how her family eventually escaped to start a new life. Laura Bradley, Vulture, 8 July 2025 But hinging the entire case on two former partners may have opened the door for the defense to argue that these relationships, while toxic, were not coercive. Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 3 July 2025 Yet, the concept of coercive control remains relatively limited in courts. Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for coercive

Word History

Etymology

coerce + -ive

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coercive was circa 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coercive. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Legal Definition

coercive

adjective
co·​er·​cive kō-ˈər-siv How to pronounce coercive (audio)
1
: serving or intended to coerce
2
: resulting from coercion
to protect women from coercive intimacyKimberle Crenshaw

More from Merriam-Webster on coercive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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