strong-arm
Low-mid frequency. Recognised but not an everyday word.Informal, somewhat journalistic; often used in contexts of crime, politics, or aggressive business.
Definition
Meaning
To use force or threats to get what you want.
Coercive, forceful, or bullying behaviour, especially in a manner that is unsubtle or violent. Also used as an adjective to describe such tactics or a person who uses them.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb, but also common as a compound adjective ('strong-arm tactics'). Has a strong negative connotation of illegitimacy or excessive force.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Slightly more common in American English, especially in crime reporting.
Connotations
Same negative connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Used in both, but American English corpora show higher frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] strong-arms [Object] (into doing something)[Subject] is a strong-arm [noun][Subject] uses strong-arm tacticsVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not the main form; the term itself is quasi-idiomatic.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company was accused of using strong-arm tactics to stifle competition."
Academic
Rare; might appear in political science or criminology texts discussing coercion.
Everyday
"The landlord tried to strong-arm us into paying extra, but we refused."
Technical
Not applicable in technical fields.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The gang tried to strong-arm the shopkeeper into paying protection money.
- He was accused of strong-arming the witnesses before the trial.
American English
- The union boss strong-armed the contractors into hiring his guys.
- They attempted to strong-arm the city council into approving the deal.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The big boy tried to strong-arm the little one. (Simplified context)
- The security guard was fired for using strong-arm tactics with visitors.
- The regime strong-armed the media into reporting only positive news.
- Critics allege the legislation was passed through a campaign of strong-arming and backroom deals, rather than democratic debate.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person with a VERY STRONG ARM physically pushing someone to do something against their will.
Conceptual Metaphor
PHYSICAL FORCE IS COERCIVE PERSUASION (Using the image of a powerful limb to represent unfair pressure).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'сильная рука' (which is not idiomatic).
- Avoid confusing with 'powerful' or 'mighty' ('strong') in a positive sense.
- The correct conceptual equivalents are 'давить', 'запугивать', 'применять грубую силу'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a positive term (e.g., 'He's a strong-arm leader' intending to mean 'strong').
- Using it as a simple synonym for 'strong' (e.g., 'He has strong-arm muscles').
- Incorrect hyphenation when used as a verb (should be hyphenated as verb/adjective: 'to strong-arm'; 'strong-arm tactics').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'strong-arm' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is informal and often used in journalism or casual speech to describe coercion or force.
Yes, but less commonly. It can refer to a person who uses physical force, e.g., 'He acted as the gang's strong-arm.' More often it's part of the compound noun 'strong-arm man' or 'strong-arm tactics'.
'Strong-arm' specifically implies the use of physical force or the immediate threat of it, often in a criminal or illegitimate context. 'Bully' is broader and can include psychological, verbal, or physical harassment over time, not necessarily implying imminent physical violence.
Yes, when used as a verb or an adjective before a noun (e.g., 'to strong-arm', 'strong-arm robbery'). It may sometimes appear without a hyphen as a noun phrase ('the strong arm of the law'), but the specific coercive term is typically hyphenated.
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