Idiom idiom
gunboat diplomacy
Meaning
The pursuit of foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of military power.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The country used gunboat diplomacy to force a better trade deal.”
“The government sent warships to the border as a clear act of gunboat diplomacy to intimidate their neighbors.”
“Historians often argue that the era was defined by gunboat diplomacy, as powerful nations frequently deployed naval forces to secure favorable economic concessions from weaker states.”
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026