Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

to twist someone's arm

idiom

/tə twɪst ˈsʌmwʌnz ɑrm/

Definition

To pressure someone into doing something they may not want to do.

Examples

The manager had to twist his employee’s arm to get him to work on the weekend.
She didn’t want to go to the party, but her friends twisted her arm until she agreed.
Sometimes, you have to twist someone’s arm to make them see your point of view.

Meaning

This phrase is often used to describe a situation where someone is using persuasion, often with a hint of coercion, to get another person to agree to something.