twist someone's arm
Meaning
To persuade someone to do something they are reluctant to do, often by applying pressure or insistence.
Origin
From the literal act of physically twisting an arm to force compliance; it became a figurative way to describe strong persuasion or pressure.
Notes
Ranges from playful coaxing to real pressure. Implies reluctance and persuasion beyond a simple request. Common in speech; can sound pushy if the pressure was serious.
Examples
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I didn’t want to go to the party, but they twisted my arm and I ended up having fun.
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It took a lot of arm-twisting to get him to apologize.
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If you twist my arm, I’ll try your homemade cookies.
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She said she needed someone to cover her shift, so I agreed after a little arm-twisting.
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We had to twist the manager’s arm to approve the budget increase.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used with a possessive: twist my/your/his/her/their arm, or a name’s: twist John’s arm. Verb inflects (twisted, twisting). Often in patterns like “I had to twist his arm to…”
Synonyms
- pressure
- lean on
- coax
- persuade
- strong-arm
Antonyms
- take no for an answer
- leave someone alone
- let someone decide