# coerce

/koʊˈɝs/ (US) · /kˌəʊˈɜːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/coerce
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to force someone

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make someone do something by using force or threats.

For teachers: to compel an individual to act against their will through the use of force, threats, or intimidation.

- The witness claimed that the gang tried to coerce him into lying to the police.
- The defendant argued that he had been coerced into signing the confession under extreme psychological pressure from the investigators.

Usage: Takes a direct object followed by 'into' and a gerund or noun phrase.

### 2. to restrain

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to use the law or authority to stop someone from doing something.

For teachers: to restrain or repress an action or person through the application of authority or legal force.

- The new laws were designed to coerce the illegal trade of stolen goods.
- The state sought to coerce the rising tide of dissent by implementing strict curfews and heavy fines for public gatherings.

### 3. to change data types

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to force a piece of computer data to change into a different type.

For teachers: to force a value of one data type to be treated as or converted to another data type.

- The program will coerce the number into a string so it can be displayed.
- JavaScript will often coerce a boolean value into a number when performing arithmetic operations.

Usage: Often used in the context of 'type coercion' in programming languages.

## Examples

- The virus attempts to coerce the system into opening a hidden file.
- Security software is designed to detect and prevent malicious code from coercing the operating system into executing unauthorized commands.
- Advanced malware often employs sophisticated techniques to coerce the kernel into granting elevated privileges, effectively bypassing the standard security measures that protect the core of the system.

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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.