as in pressure
the use of power to impose one's will on another
complied with the order only under duress
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Recent Examples of duress
The Franz Koenigs collection, including works by Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, and others, has been the subject of multiple claims over the years that it was sold under duress due to Nazi persecution.
—
Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 June 2026
In Wells, after accepting the commutation, the defendant-petitioner argued that the president possessed the authority to issue only absolute pardons, not conditional ones, and that the petitioner’s acceptance of the conditional pardon was made under duress.
—Robert Radick, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The important thing is that giving the other person something is your decision, freely made, without duress.
—Attia Qureshi, Time, 1 June 2026
In the 12 months ended in April, Fitch clocked 99 defaults of various kinds, including interest payment deferrals, maturity extensions under duress, and payments-in-kind instead of cash, as well as more conventional bankruptcies, liquidations and debt-equity swaps.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for duress
Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 2 June 2026
In Wells, after accepting the commutation, the defendant-petitioner argued that the president possessed the authority to issue only absolute pardons, not conditional ones, and that the petitioner’s acceptance of the conditional pardon was made under duress.
—Robert Radick, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The important thing is that giving the other person something is your decision, freely made, without duress.
—Attia Qureshi, Time, 1 June 2026
In the 12 months ended in April, Fitch clocked 99 defaults of various kinds, including interest payment deferrals, maturity extensions under duress, and payments-in-kind instead of cash, as well as more conventional bankruptcies, liquidations and debt-equity swaps.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for duress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duress
Noun
-
While the Patriots could have caved to the pressure, Cash said the group was ready to adjust.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
-
The knockout stage is where the stakes get higher and the pressure becomes stifling.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
City attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite told council members the moratorium cannot be applied to projects that were already approved because of constraints within state law.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
Some Saratoga residents backed renewing the city’s public service contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office as councilmembers continued to keep their policing options open amid budget constraints.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Writers write from compulsion, from necessity.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
For me, one of these compulsions ended up being using the tracking app.—
Sara Rowe Mount,
Parents,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The most serious charge in the indictment, witness intimidation, was levied against Hakim and Feyock.—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
Each has a role to play in creating environments where frontline employees can do their jobs without fear of intimidation or violence.—
Alliance Manchester Business School,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
That's not freedom, that's coercion.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
This means coercion of local stations and national networks would violate the law.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Duress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duress. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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