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coerce

Syllabification: (co·erce)
Pronunciation: /kōˈərs/
Translate coerce | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of coerce

verb

[with object]
  • persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats:they were coerced into silence
  • obtain (something) by using force or threats:their confessions were allegedly coerced by torture

Derivatives

coercible

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin coercere 'restrain', from co- 'jointly, together' + arcere 'restrain'

Spelling rule

Drop the final silent -e when adding -ing or -ed: (coerces, coercing, coerced).

coerce in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of coerce in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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