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
ABC News, 6 July 2025
The president's arm-twisting ahead of a House Rules Committee meeting currently set for 1am Wednesday puts heavy pressure on GOP holdouts on a range of sticking points.
—Daniel Moore, Axios, 20 May 2025
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
Verb
This big, beautiful bill fulfills all the promises in the America First agenda.
SCOTT (voice over): But getting it over the finish line took arm-twisting and deal-making.
—ABC News, 6 July 2025
The president's arm-twisting ahead of a House Rules Committee meeting currently set for 1am Wednesday puts heavy pressure on GOP holdouts on a range of sticking points.
—Daniel Moore, Axios, 20 May 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arm-twisting
Noun
-
This candid conversation explores trust, strategy, career milestones, and the unfiltered reality of navigating fame, pressure, and performance together.—
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
14 July 2025
-
As coffee lovers become more knowledgeable and discerning about the sourcing, roasting, brewing, sustainability and taste of coffee, this creates pressure on the hospitality industry to meet their expectations.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Davis is a magnetic front man, and the Roadhouse Band is an intoxicatingly raucous live outfit, but the constraints of the setup suited his new material, which is suffused with listlessness and yearning, dark jokes and wordy disquisitions on desire.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
The graphic novel format gave him the freedom to imagine without limitation—unbound by the logistical constraints of filmmaking.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 July 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
-
Harboring a tragedy from her past, Johansson smooths Zora's rough edges with a compulsion to keep everyone protected, even at the expense of her own safety.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
But when care becomes compulsion, and when support turns into self-sacrifice, the relationship begins to lose balance.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 June 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
-
Moldova has been shaken by Russian meddling in the form of energy coercion, election interference and disinformation campaigns.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
4 July 2025
-
The trial delved into complexities of relationships and questions of consent and coercion.—
Kara Scannell,
CNN Money,
4 July 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
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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 20 Jul. 2025.
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