strong-arm

present singular third person strong-arms · participle present strong-arming · participle past strong-armed · past strong-armed · alternative strongarm

1. figurativelyoftentransitiveTo bully, to intimidate; to coerce, to muscle.

   One of the boss’ hangers-on Comes to call at times you least expect Try to bully ya—strong-arm you—inspire you with fear

   2001, Bob Dylan, “Floater (Too Much to Ask)”, in Love and Theft

   3 more examples

   In a five-part series on the “Extremely Passive Aggressive Roommate,” Ms. Brier […] complains about her roomie coming home at 3:27 a.m.; strong-arms that roommate into renewing their lease and then welcomes a guest to “the common space.”

   2023 March 14, Alexandra Jacobs, “Your Annoying Roommate Is Slaying on TikTok”, in The New York Times

   It is difficult to summarise the arrogance, contempt, complacency and incompetence shown by the DfT in a scheme where it strong-armed the rail industry (in the form of the Rail Delivery Group) to 'front up'.

   2023 August 9, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Disinterested and dishonest”, in RAIL, number 989, page 3

   The CEO was often forced back into damage control mode, however, including denying reports from the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that X had strong-armed companies to advertise on the platform by threatening lawsuits against them.

   2025 July 9, Blake Montgomery, Nick Robins-Early, “Linda Yaccarino stepping down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

plural strong-arms · alternative strongarm

1. A person who threatens or intimidates others, especially on behalf of somebody else; a goon or enforcer.

   There used to be a goon I knew in the Bronx—a tough mockie we used to call Yussel the Bricklayer—and you never saw a guy who was more screwed up. This guy Yussel would've been a strongarm for nothing, he enjoyed it so much.

   2000, Irving Shulman, The Big Brokers

alternative strongarm

1. not comparableBullying; extortionate.
2. figurativelynot comparableusuallyCoercive, employing force.

   "Some applications will fail. ORR does not need strong-arm tactics from DfT muddying the waters."

   2025 July 9, David Stubbings, “Network News: Open access row: DfT accused of "strong-arm tactics"”, in RAIL, number 1039, page 6