duress

American  

[doo-res, dyoo-, door-is, dyoor-] / dʊˈrɛs, dyʊ-, ˈdʊər ɪs, ˈdyʊər- /

noun

1. compulsion by threat or force; coercion; constraint.

   Synonyms:

   pressure, intimidation

2. Law. such constraint or coercion as will render void a contract or other legal act entered or performed under its influence.

3. forcible restraint, especially imprisonment.

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duress British  

/ djʊə-, djʊˈrɛs /

noun

1. compulsion by use of force or threat; constraint; coercion (often in the phrase under duress )

2. law the illegal exercise of coercion

3. confinement; imprisonment

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Etymology

Origin of duress

1275–1325; Middle English duresse < Middle French duresse, -esce, -ece < Latin dūritia hardness, harshness, oppression, equivalent to dūr ( us ) hard + -itia -ice

Example Sentences

Like any group that’s survived a civil war, those who left Cuba under duress and those who stayed are locked into a vicious cycle of spite that consumes our communities.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

It’s a cat-and-mouse movie with some initiative, and even if that drive ultimately goes nowhere, the film at least manages to make its characters’ strength under duress believable.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Canada’s economy is struggling with slow growth, with manufacturers under duress from hefty U.S. tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Amodei called the memo an "out-of-date assessment of the current situation," written under duress on a day that saw his company under extreme pressure from the government.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

In the backseat, one very unhappy twelve- year-old, me, arriving under duress for an interview.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• coercion