as in to intimidate
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
developers trying to strong-arm homeowners into selling their houses at below-market prices
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of strong-arm
The Democrats’ anger has been building all year, as immigration enforcement agents have used what critics say are strong-arm tactics to find undocumented immigrants.
—
David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 14 Jan. 2026
On Thursday Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne invoked Article 49 of the French constitution, which enabled the Macron government to strong-arm a bill through the National Assembly without a vote.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2023
Both Sides Win In a difficult market, taking a strong-arm position may backfire.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
Government shouldn’t ban their working situation in order to empower labor organizers to strong-arm them into joining a union.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for strong-arm
David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 14 Jan. 2026
On Thursday Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne invoked Article 49 of the French constitution, which enabled the Macron government to strong-arm a bill through the National Assembly without a vote.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2023
Both Sides Win In a difficult market, taking a strong-arm position may backfire.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023
Government shouldn’t ban their working situation in order to empower labor organizers to strong-arm them into joining a union.
—The Editors, National Review, 2 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for strong-arm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strong-arm
Verb
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The goal was to intimidate the family into not competing in the Beijing Games.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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The grand jury indictment charged Lemon and eight others with conspiracy against right of religious freedom at place of worship and another count of working to injure, intimidate or interfere with the exercise the right of religious freedom at a place of worship.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rootselaar transitioned from male to female about six years ago and subsequently dropped out of school two years later, but McDonald said there is no evidence that Rootselaar dropped out due to bullying because of the transition.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
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For more than a year, high-ranking staffers have resigned, often in public fashion, and accused him of bullying them and abusing his office’s authority.—
Ryan Oehrli
February 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The intelligence reports warn that 764 and its many offshoots have expanded into a transnational, online network that glorifies violence and tries to coerce people, often minors, to hurt themselves or others.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Criminals usually target people who have publicly boasted about their crypto winnings, and physically coerce them to give up their Bitcoin key.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Strong-arm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strong-arm. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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