as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
it took some arm-twisting, but they eventually agreed to make a donation
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Recent Examples of arm-twisting
Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
But after some arm-twisting from a publisher, her journals were soon released as a book.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025
What about the shrill speculations that nefarious Trumpian arm-twisting was involved which pressured Netanyahu to comply?
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Israel, often skeptical of UN solutions, would likely need some convincing to back a trusteeship, up to and including the type of U.S. arm-twisting seen recently over weapons shipments.
—Lloyd Axworthy, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2024
After some arm-twisting by Mottola, the Recording Academy invited Martin to perform at the 41st Grammy Awards.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024
Biden’s verbal arm-twisting should not be taken lightly.
—Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
The Bush administration and its successor worked hard in cooperation with Yeltsin to make that happen, using a series of inducements and diplomatic arm-twisting.
—Serhii Plokhy, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2019
His years of gentle arm-twisting paid off in the creation of the consortium, which collected genetic data from more than 11,000 people with Alzheimer’s and a nearly equal number of older people who showed no signs of dementia.
—Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2019
Noun
After a long day of arm-twisting and internal party clashes, House Republicans on Tuesday narrowly passed their plan to advance President Donald Trump's legislative agenda.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
But after some arm-twisting from a publisher, her journals were soon released as a book.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025
What about the shrill speculations that nefarious Trumpian arm-twisting was involved which pressured Netanyahu to comply?
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Israel, often skeptical of UN solutions, would likely need some convincing to back a trusteeship, up to and including the type of U.S. arm-twisting seen recently over weapons shipments.
—Lloyd Axworthy, Foreign Affairs, 15 May 2024
After some arm-twisting by Mottola, the Recording Academy invited Martin to perform at the 41st Grammy Awards.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024
Biden’s verbal arm-twisting should not be taken lightly.
—Yossi Melman and Dan Raviv, TIME, 15 Apr. 2024
The Bush administration and its successor worked hard in cooperation with Yeltsin to make that happen, using a series of inducements and diplomatic arm-twisting.
—Serhii Plokhy, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2019
His years of gentle arm-twisting paid off in the creation of the consortium, which collected genetic data from more than 11,000 people with Alzheimer’s and a nearly equal number of older people who showed no signs of dementia.
—Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arm-twisting
Noun
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There would be fan pressure for the young quarterback to play if Prescott struggled.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
-
At a key hearing on March 6, 2023, Ricco says, Messiah broke down from the pressure and began crying.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Food insecurity creates a combination of issues, from financial constraints, lack of access to affordable nutritious food, social and emotional stress, and affects the academic performance of college students, according to Talamantes.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2025
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The main countermeasure is mortar fire, which is cheap and mobile—again, not a serious constraint that requires around-the-clock shifts in Russian factories.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Instead, there was a fast, tough, physical team flying around and making big-time plays, bullying the big-boy Tar Heels.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
30 Dec. 2024
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LeBron James scored 32 points one game after setting the NBA’s all-time minutes record for regular-season games, bullying the Kings on the offensive end while grabbing four steals on the defensive end.—
Dan Woike,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The organization encourages people to seek a mental health professional when a person’s obsessions and compulsions begin to affect their quality of life.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
11 Mar. 2025
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But at what cost? The compulsion to be right often blinds us to alternative perspectives, limits our creative problem-solving, and stifles growth.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This new era of AI can feel intimidating for the limited, human life forms that created it.—
Marc Zao-Sanders,
Harvard Business Review,
17 Dec. 2024
-
Only six years older than Crystal, the comedian still found Scorsese intimidating.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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China’s revanchist claims and maritime coercion in the South China Sea are meant to show that big countries can simply grab the global commons.—
HAL BRANDS,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Historically, imperialist leaders have used military conquest, economic coercion or diplomatic pressure to expand their dominions, and justified their foreign incursions as civilizing missions, economic opportunities or national security imperatives.—
Monica Duffy Toft,
The Conversation,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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By late afternoon, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said the Pacific Palisades fire had grown to 1,200 acres — threatening over 10,000 households and 13,000 structures.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
8 Jan. 2025
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Extremely dangerous wildfires are threatening Southern California, including Los Angeles and Ventura counties.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Travel shaming is on the rise, fueled by concerns about climate change and post-pandemic travel attitudes.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA TODAY,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Frazier, the woman with the Dubai video, said at first that the shaming comments upset her.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA TODAY,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Arm-twisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arm-twisting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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