duress

noun

du·​ress du̇-ˈres 

also dyu̇-

1

law : forcible restraint or restriction

… while the German army was still held in duress by the Versailles treaty.

—S. L. A. Marshall

2

law : compulsion (see compulsion sense 1a) by threat

gave the statement under duress

specifically : unlawful constraint

held under duress

Did you know?

Duress: Its Origin and Relations

Duress is most often paired with the word under to refer to force or threats meant to make someone do something. For example, someone forced to sign a document signs it “under duress,” and a person held “under duress” is not free to leave but is being constrained, usually unlawfully. (Do not confuse being “under duress” with being “under stress,” which is a much more common occurrence.) Duress comes ultimately from the Latin adjective durus, meaning “hard,” source too of durable and endure.

Synonyms of duress

• pressure
• constraint
• compulsion
• intimidation
• coercion

Examples of duress in a Sentence

He gave the information under duress.

complied with the order only under duress

Recent Examples on the Web

Kamens suggested that Sharifullah gave a false confession under duress while in Pakastani custody. —ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026

With Wallstedt under duress and sliding from post to post, Preds star Steven Stamkos gave Nashville the game’s first lead with a wraparound that was a half-second quicker than Quinn Hughes’ attempt to deflect the puck. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 11 Apr. 2026

Under Texas law, a contract signed under duress is generally voidable if it was obtained through an improper or unlawful threat that overrode the signer’s free will. —Chase Rogers, Dallas Morning News, 10 Apr. 2026

Some of it has to do with the understated grace of Ninomiya’s performance as the Lost Man, whose gentleness of spirit, even under anxiety and duress, rang a distant bell. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English duresse, from Anglo-French duresce hardness, severity, from Latin duritia, from durus — see during

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

duress

noun

du·​ress d(y)u̇-ˈres 

: the use of force or threats

Legal Definition

duress

noun

du·​ress du̇-ˈres, dyu̇- 

: wrongful and usually unlawful compulsion (as threats of physical violence) that induces a person to act against his or her will : coercion

also : the affirmative defense of having acted under duress see also economic duress compare necessity, undue influence

Note: A person may be able to avoid the consequences of his or her acts under the law if they were performed while under duress. For example, a contract made under duress is voidable by the coerced party. Similarly, a will signed under duress is invalid. Duress may also be used to justify a criminal act.

Etymology

Anglo-French duresce, literally, hardness, harshness, from Old French, from Latin duritia, from durus hard