as in persistent
formal
using force or threats to make someone do something; using coercion
coercive measures
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Recent Examples of coercive
Ehrlich can hardly be blamed for the most coercive incarnations of population control.
—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Eugenics led to the institutionalization and forced sterilization of, and the coercive experimentation on, people with disabilities, immigrants and people of color across the U.S.
—Lauren Shallish, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
Hybrid coercive strategies—such as disinformation campaigns and gray-zone tactics—often blur the lines between cooperation and confrontation.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Recognizing coercive control can be difficult, especially when it’s disguised as love or concern.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coercive
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
Eugenics led to the institutionalization and forced sterilization of, and the coercive experimentation on, people with disabilities, immigrants and people of color across the U.S.
—Lauren Shallish, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
Hybrid coercive strategies—such as disinformation campaigns and gray-zone tactics—often blur the lines between cooperation and confrontation.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Recognizing coercive control can be difficult, especially when it’s disguised as love or concern.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coercive
Cite this Entry
“Coercive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coercive. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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