coercion
n. uncountablen. the act of forcing someone to do something they do not want to do. This usually involves using threats or physical force.
n. the practice of persuading someone to act by using force or threats. Often carries legal implications regarding the validity of consent or contracts.
He only signed the document under coercion.
The witness claimed that her initial statement was the result of police coercion rather than a voluntary confession.
Legal scholars distinguish between legitimate persuasion and unlawful coercion, noting that the latter must involve a credible threat that overcomes the victim's free will.
Inherited from Middle English cohercioun, from Old French cohercion, from Latin coërcitiō (“magisterial coercion”), from past participle coercitus of coërceō (“to restrain, coerce”), from co- (“with”) + arceō (“to shut in, enclose”); see coerce.
Commonly appears in the prepositional phrase 'under coercion'.