The word of the day from Merriam-Webster is "duress," a noun describing force or threats used to compel action. It frequently appears in the phrase "under duress," signifying unlawful coercion or constraint. Duress is often applied to situations where someone is forced to act against their will, like signing a document. A person held “under duress” is not free to leave due to being constrained. This differs from being "under stress," which is a more common experience. The example provided shows how an author's work might be published under duress. Morrison, in the example, felt compelled to publish a poet's work under protest. The text clarified that Morrison's publisher would only publish a poet's work reluctantly. Duress stems from the Latin word "durus," meaning "hard," also related to words like "durable" and "endure". The definition explicitly focuses on external forces, not just internal feelings like stress.