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coerce

[koh-urs]

Origin

verb (used with object), -erced, -erc·ing.

to compel by force, intimidation, or authority, especially without regard for individual desire or volition: They coerced him into signing the document.

to bring about through the use of force or other forms of compulsion; exact: to coerce obedience.

to dominate or control, especially by exploiting fear, anxiety, etc.: The state is based on successfully coercing the individual.

Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English < Latin coercēre to hold in, restrain, equivalent to co- co- + -ercēre, combining form of arcēre to keep in, keep away, akin to arca ark

Related forms

co·erc·er, noun

co·er·ci·ble, adjective

non·co·er·ci·ble, adjective

un·co·erced, adjective

Can be confused: coerce, compel, constrain, force, oblige (see synonym note at oblige).

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Coerce is an SAT word you need to know.

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to speak ill of, defame or slander

a person who favors the equal division of landed property and the advancement of agricultural groups

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Collins

World English Dictionary

coerce (kəʊˈɜːs)

—vb
	(tr) to compel or restrain by force or authority without regard to individual wishes or desires

[C17: from Latin coercēre to confine, restrain, from co- together + arcēre to enclose]

co'ercer

—n

co'ercible

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

coerce

c.1451, from M.Fr. cohercer, from L. coercere "to control, restrain," from com- "together" + arcere "to enclose, confine, contain, ward off," from PIE *ark- "to hold, contain, guard" (see arcane).

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Matching Quote

"I must resist it [a rider on an appropriation bill] to the last extremity. I say, first, I object to the repeal of important legislation designed to protect the elections, to secure the purity, the honesty, the sanctity of the ballot-box. But what is of far more importance, I object to the bill because it is an unconstitutional and revolutionary attempt to deprive the Executive of one of his most important prerogatives; to coerce him to approve a measure which he in fact does not approve.... I stand for "the equal" and constitutional "independence of the Executive.""

-Rutherford Birchard Hayes

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