Hard power
Etymology
From "hard" (Old English "heard") and "power" (via Latin "potere," to be able). It was framed as the counterpart to "soft power" by political scientist Joseph Nye, who introduced that pairing around 1990.
noun phrase · /HARD POW-er/
A nation’s ability to get its way through coercion — military force and economic pressure.
What it names
Names influence exerted by the stick and the wallet, as opposed to persuasion or appeal.
Example
Sanctions and troop movements are hard power — blunt pressure meant to force a change of course.
Related idea
Soft power is the ability to attract and persuade — through culture, values, and legitimacy; hard power compels where soft power seduces.