How to pronounce coerce
Say it like koh-URS. Coerce has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (URS).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce coerce. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- koh
- URS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Coerce pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- kohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- URSSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of coerce
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: koh-URS.
What does coerce mean?
- To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb.
- To use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in an attempt to compel one to act against their will.“They coerced their children into going to the country park.”
- To force an attribute, normally of a data type, to take on the attribute of another data type.
Where does coerce come from?
From Latin coërceō (“to surround, encompass, restrain, control, curb”), from co- (“together”) + arceō (“to inclose, confine, keep off”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with coerce
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of coerce.
Questions about saying coerce
How do you pronounce coerce?
Say koh-URS. The American pronunciation is /koʊˈɝs/. In British English it is /kəʊˈɜːs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in coerce?
Coerce has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (URS). Broken into parts: koh · URS.
Is coerce pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /kəʊˈɜːs/ (koh-URS).