Word of the Day: Coercion (noun)
Possible Meanings:
- The act of persuading someone to do something they don’t want to do by using force or threats.
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Example Sentences:
- The company was accused of using coercion to silence whistleblowers who spoke out about safety violations. (Explanation: Coercion describes the act of pressuring people to stay silent through threats.)
- The hostage negotiator tried to de-escalate the situation by avoiding any coercion that might provoke the captor. (Explanation: Here, coercion describes forceful tactics that could worsen the situation.)
- In a healthy relationship, there’s no room for coercion. Partners should be free to make their own choices. (Explanation: Coercion describes manipulative behavior that controls someone’s decisions.)
Conversation Example:
Person 1: “Did you see the news report about that cult leader? He’s using coercion to keep his followers under control.”
Person 2: “That’s terrible! It’s important to be aware of the signs of coercion so you can protect yourself and others.”
Can you use coercion in a sentence of your own? Share your example in the comments below.