# twist someone's arm

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/twist-someone's-arm
Updated: 2026-07-14

## Meaning

To encourage or pressure someone to do something that they don't want to.

## Examples

- I did not want to go, but you twisted my arm.
- I was planning to stay home tonight, but my friends twisted my arm until I agreed to go to the cinema.
- The manager had to twist his arm to get him to work on the weekend, eventually offering him an extra day of holiday as a reward.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.