Meaning & use
duress
Threats, force, or other pressure used to compel someone to do something against their will.
See it in a sentence
He signed the confession under duress after hours of aggressive questioning.
The court ruled that any contract signed under duress could not be enforced.
A note on using this word
Duress is almost always used in the fixed phrase under duress, especially in legal contexts.
Words with a similar meaning
coercioncompulsion
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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