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.
Cite this Entry
“Duress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duress. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.
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