What term describes the forcible recruitment of sailors into the navy?

The term that describes the forcible recruitment of sailors into the navy is impressment. Historically, impressment involved the seizure of individuals, typically sailors, by naval authorities to serve in the military against their will. This practice was notably used by the British Navy during the 18th and early 19th centuries to fill ship crews, especially during wartime when voluntary enlistment did not meet personnel needs.

Impressment is distinct from other forms of recruitment such as enlistment, which refers to the voluntary signing up for military service, and conscription, which denotes a compulsory draft usually enacted by a government to raise an army during times of war. Volunteering implies that individuals willingly choose to join the military without coercion. Thus, impressment stands out as the method involving forceful and involuntary service, making it the correct answer.