Which term refers to the act of coercing someone through threats?

The term that refers to the act of coercing someone through threats is "duress." Duress involves forcing an individual to act against their will or better judgment through the use of threats, intimidation, or pressure. This concept is often discussed in legal contexts, where it can render contracts or agreements voidable because the agreement was not made voluntarily. The key element of duress is the presence of a significant threat that leads a person to an involuntary choice, making it distinct from other forms of pressure or influence.

While pressure, compulsion, and force may imply various levels of coercion or influence, they do not encapsulate the specific legal and contextual nuances of duress. Pressure could refer to any influence applied to someone, compulsion often relates to the constraint of one's choices without specific threats, and force implies physical violence or strength rather than threats alone. Therefore, duress is the most precise term that captures the act of coercing someone through threats.