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
Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Thune has also tried to describe Trump’s arm-twisting of Zelensky in nobler language.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
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
Noun
American cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church described the historic papal conclave that concluded this week as relatively easy, with no arm-twisting or overt politicking.
—Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Thune has also tried to describe Trump’s arm-twisting of Zelensky in nobler language.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arm-twisting
Noun
-
The France captain arrived last summer with pressure on his shoulders from being a longstanding target for the club and its president, Florentino Perez, since his breakthrough at Monaco in 2016-17.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
-
Acting in accordance with these principles will guide companies toward consistent and ethical conduct, regardless of laws and external pressures.—
Susana Sierra,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
But there’s only so much that educators and parents can achieve by working together if city and state leaders are not willing to face hard problems and revenue constraints.—
Milly Arciniegas,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2025
-
There is no administrative independence, there are no limitations, there are no regulatory constraints in this government‘s view, only tools to be used as necessary.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Therapy involves asking patients to experience their stress and anxiety without performing a compulsion in response.—
Christina Caron,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Medium spiny neurons play an important role in habit formation, the process by which a behavior becomes automatic and habitual – think compulsions.—
Carol Mathews,
The Conversation,
13 May 2025
Verb
-
While the market’s recent volatility can be intimidating, experts generally recommend investors focus on their long-term goals.—
Ana Teresa Solá,
CNBC,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Relapse is alluring, Bart is intimidating, and Son is mysterious.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The #MeToo movement, in particular, has laid bare the culture of coercion and abuse that permeates every institution and created space for women to feel supported by online communities.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2025
-
On May 13, Ventura described a relationship marked by emotional abuse and coercion.—
Danielle Bacher,
People.com,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
An extreme wind event is threatening one of Los Angeles’ toniest neighborhoods, igniting fires through Pacific Palisades.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
The Hollywood Reporter,
8 Jan. 2025
-
The Palisades fire has garnered headlines, but the Hurst and Eaton fires have also been threatening very populated areas.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Frazier, the woman with the Dubai video, said at first that the shaming comments upset her.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA TODAY,
27 Dec. 2024
-
And make no mistake, travel shaming in the age of the internet is fun – at least for those doing the shaming.—
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 2 Jun. 2025.
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