Distress vs. Duress — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 24, 2023
"Distress" refers to extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain, while "duress" means coercion or compulsion, typically through threats. They differ in context and application.
Difference Between Distress and Duress
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Distress" and "duress" are distinct terms, though both convey a sense of pressure or discomfort. "Distress" often encapsulates feelings of anxiety, sorrow, or pain that can arise from various situations. For instance, a person might feel distress when facing financial hardships or emotional turmoil.
"Duress", on the other hand, is a more specialized term, often found in legal contexts. It describes situations where an individual is forced to act against their will due to threats or other forms of coercion. If someone signs a contract under duress, they're essentially saying they did so because they felt threatened or pressured.
Moreover, while "distress" is typically self-experienced and might not have an external causative agent, "duress" usually involves an external factor or individual applying the pressure. A distressed person may be so because of internal factors or situations beyond their control. Conversely, a person under duress often has a clear source of their pressure, such as another individual or entity.
In summation, "distress" encapsulates a broader spectrum of negative feelings, ranging from mental anguish to physical pain. "Duress", however, has a more specific application, especially in legal contexts, indicating compulsion through coercion.
Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
Compulsion through threats or force.
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Context of Use
General; can refer to emotional, physical, or financial pain
Typically legal; indicates actions done under compulsion.
Origin of Pressure
Can be internal or external, often self-experienced.
External; involves coercion by another individual or entity.
Usage in Sentence
"She expressed her distress about the situation."
"He signed the document under duress."
Associated Feelings
Anxiety, sorrow, discomfort, pain.
Pressure, coercion, fear of repercussions.
Compare with Definitions
Distress
Extreme anxiety or emotional pain.
Her distress was evident in her voice.
Duress
Pressure applied to compel an action.
The employee acted under duress from his superiors.
Distress
Physical pain or suffering.
He was in visible distress after the accident.
Duress
Imprisonment or confinement.
The captives were held in duress for weeks.
Distress
The state of being in danger or difficulty.
The ship sent out a distress signal.
Duress
Legal term indicating actions not done out of free will.
He claimed to have signed the contract under duress.
Distress
The action of damaging something to make it appear old.
The furniture had a unique distress finish.
Duress
Compulsion by threat or force.
She revealed the secret under duress.
Distress
Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain
To his distress he saw that she was trembling
Her fingers flew to her throat in distress
Duress
Coercion to make someone do something.
The confession was obtained under duress.
Distress
Another term for distraint
Duress
Compulsion by threat or violence; coercion
Confessed under duress.
Distress
Cause (someone) anxiety, sorrow, or pain
I didn't mean to distress you
Please don't distress yourself
Duress
Constraint or difficulty caused by misfortune
"children who needed only temporary care because their parents were ill, out of work, or under some other form of duress" (Stephan O'Connor).
Distress
Give (furniture or clothing) simulated marks of age and wear
The manner in which leather jackets are industrially distressed
Duress
A fraud achieved through the use of a threat or compulsion
She had a cause of action for duress. His claim was based on duress.
Distress
To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to.
Duress
A criminal defense for an act undertaken under threat of serious bodily harm
His defense was duress.
Distress
To mar or otherwise treat (an object or fabric, for example) to give the appearance of an antique or of heavy prior use.
Duress
Forcible confinement.
Distress
(Archaic) To constrain or overcome by harassment.
Duress
(obsolete) Harsh treatment.
Distress
Anxiety or mental suffering.
Duress
Constraint by threat.
Distress
Bodily dysfunction or discomfort caused by disease or injury
Respiratory distress.
Duress
(legal) Restraint in which a person is influenced, whether by lawful or unlawful forceful compulsion of their liberty by monition or implementation of physical enforcement; legally for the incurring of civil liability, of a citizen's arrest, or of subrogation, or illegally for the committing of an offense, of forcing a contract, or of using threats.
Distress
Physical deterioration, as of a highway, caused by hard use over time
Pavement distress.
Duress
To put under duress; to pressure.
Someone was duressing her.
The small nation was duressed into giving up territory.
Distress
The condition of being in need of immediate assistance
A motorist in distress.
Duress
Hardship; constraint; pressure; imprisonment; restraint of liberty.
The agreements . . . made with the landlords during the time of slavery, are only the effect of duress and force.
Distress
Suffering caused by poverty
Programs to relieve public distress.
Duress
The state of compulsion or necessity in which a person is influenced, whether by the unlawful restrain of his liberty or by actual or threatened physical violence, to incur a civil liability or to commit an offense.
Distress
(Law) The act of distraining or seizing goods to compel payment or other satisfaction for a debt or other duty owed; distraint.
Duress
To subject to duress.
Distress
Physical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature.
Duress
Compulsory force or threat;
Confessed under duress
Distress
A cause of such discomfort.
Distress
Serious danger.
Distress
(medicine) An aversive state of stress to which a person cannot fully adapt.
Distress
(legal) A seizing of property without legal process to force payment of a debt.
Distress
(legal) The thing taken by distraining; that which is seized to procure satisfaction.
Distress
To cause strain or anxiety to someone.
Distress
(legal) To retain someone’s property against the payment of a debt; to distrain.
Distress
To treat a new object to give it an appearance of age.
A pair of distressed jeans
She distressed the new media cabinet so that it fit with the other furniture in the room.
Distress
Extreme pain or suffering; anguish of body or mind; as, to suffer distress from the gout, or from the loss of friends.
Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress.
Distress
That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery.
Affliction's sons are brothers in distress.
Distress
A state of danger or necessity; as, a ship in distress, from leaking, loss of spars, want of provisions or water, etc.
Distress
The act of distraining; the taking of a personal chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc.
If he were not paid, he would straight go and take a distress of goods and cattle.
The distress thus taken must be proportioned to the thing distrained for.
Distress
To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
Distress
To compel by pain or suffering.
Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a sacrifice of duty.
Distress
To seize for debt; to distrain.
Distress
Psychological suffering;
The death of his wife caused him great distress
Distress
A state of adversity (danger or affliction or need);
A ship in distress
She was the classic maiden in distress
Distress
Extreme physical pain;
The patient appeared to be in distress
Distress
The seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim;
Originally distress was a landloard's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien
Distress
Cause mental pain to;
The news of her child's illness distressed the mother
Distress
Financial trouble or hardship.
Many families face financial distress in hard times.
Common Curiosities
Is emotional distress the same as being under duress?
No, emotional distress is a state of emotional pain, while duress implies coercion or threats.
Is "duress" used only in legal contexts?
While often used legally, "duress" can describe any situation of compulsion by threat.
Can "distress" be used to describe objects?
Yes, objects like furniture can be described as "distressed" to indicate aging or wear.
Is "distress" always emotional?
No, "distress" can refer to emotional, physical, or financial hardship.
Is "duress" only physical pressure?
No, duress can be psychological, such as threats, as well as physical.
Can actions taken under "duress" be legally invalid?
Often, actions or agreements made under duress can be challenged legally.
Can a person be charged for causing duress?
Yes, in many jurisdictions, causing someone to act under duress can be a criminal act.
Can "distress" and "duress" be used interchangeably?
No, they have distinct meanings and should be used in their appropriate contexts.
How is "financial distress" different from bankruptcy?
Financial distress indicates hardship, while bankruptcy is a legal declaration of the inability to pay debts.
Can a "distress signal" be verbal?
Yes, any clear indication of danger or need for help, verbal or otherwise, can be a distress signal.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
