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 junior running back stayed alert and saw senior quarterback Steven Armbruster under duress.
—
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
But Hamas’s rapid acceptance of the deal may be as much a strategic ploy as a symptom of duress.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
But Loktev is quick to correct anyone who perceives My Undesirable Friends as a snapshot of idealists under duress.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
So, recognizing the imminent threat of DeSantis’ minions taking over one of Florida’s biggest and most progressive county governments, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings — reluctantly and under duress — signed the ICE agreement and urged his fellow commissioners to fall in line.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duress
Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
But Hamas’s rapid acceptance of the deal may be as much a strategic ploy as a symptom of duress.
—Leila Seurat, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2025
But Loktev is quick to correct anyone who perceives My Undesirable Friends as a snapshot of idealists under duress.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
So, recognizing the imminent threat of DeSantis’ minions taking over one of Florida’s biggest and most progressive county governments, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings — reluctantly and under duress — signed the ICE agreement and urged his fellow commissioners to fall in line.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for duress
Noun
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Republicans argued this, and not pressure from Carr, was the reason behind ABC’s decision to bench Kimmel.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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With the gap between predictive models and regulatory maps now exposed, pressure is building on municipalities and state agencies to modernize infrastructure and flood mitigation planning.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The network denied the claims but admitted it was edited due to time constraints.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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The credit rating agency put the rise down to policy weaknesses, market constraints, and inflation, Reuters noted.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Castro’s talent lies in meticulously creating a realistic—and entertaining—portrait of one man’s compulsions, bringing individual texture to a curious social phenomenon.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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And that compulsion — a genuine, profound desire to share her findings with the world — makes for a classic, stick-to-your ribs documentary experience about a fascinating person.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Husseini’s successor of sorts, his distant cousin Yasser Arafat, also resorted to murder and intimidation.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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This decision undermines basic constitutional protections and deepens the climate of intimidation against both immigrants and people of color.—
Norma Chavez-Peterson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Brutality, coercion, and terror were always elemental parts of the entertainment.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
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Negative freedom means freedom from coercion—no one telling you what to do.—
Henrietta Moore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Duress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/duress. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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