To coerce someone means to force them to do something through threats, pressure, or intimidation. When someone coerces you, they're not asking nicely or convincing you with good reasons. Instead, they're using fear or power to make you do what they want.

A bully might try to coerce a classmate into handing over lunch money by threatening to hurt them. A criminal might coerce someone into cooperating by threatening their family. In history, powerful nations sometimes coerced weaker ones into unfair treaties by threatening war.

Coercion is different from persuasion. When your teacher persuades you to study harder by explaining how it will help you learn, that's using good reasons. But if someone says, “Do this or else,” that's coercion. The key is whether the person has a real choice or feels trapped by threats.

When you coerce someone, you're essentially trapping them between doing what you demand and facing the consequences you've threatened. Coercion takes away someone's freedom to make their own decisions. Laws exist to protect people from coercion, whether it's a school protecting students from bullying or courts protecting citizens from threats and intimidation.