Coercer

A coercer is an individual or entity that compels or intimidates another to do something, often through force, threats, pressure, or undue influence. They use their power or position to manipulate others, restricting their freedom of choice and action. The core characteristic of a coercer is the exertion of control, even if subtly, to enforce compliance. This manipulation can occur in various settings, ranging from personal relationships to political systems, where those in power utilize their authority to achieve their objectives at the expense of others' autonomy and volition.

Coercer meaning with examples

• The ruthless CEO, a notorious coercer, threatened to fire employees who didn't work overtime, creating a climate of fear and preventing dissent. This forced many skilled workers to leave and created a high turnover that the CEO did not care about. This approach, however, caused the company to lose a high number of workers.
• In the abusive relationship, the controlling partner, acting as a coercer, isolated their victim from friends and family, constantly monitoring their communication and making threats to keep them subservient, effectively eroding their sense of self and free will, and created a closed off environment for them.
• The government, employing a coercer strategy, used economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure against the smaller nation to force it to alter its trade policies, undermining the country's sovereignty and economic independence, and eventually taking control. They forced the country to bow down to their will.
• During the interrogation, the detective employed techniques that made him a coercer, using intimidating questioning and threats to extract a confession from the suspect, raising questions about the ethics of his methods and the reliability of the information obtained. This often lead to wrongful convictions.