In contract law as described, duress is defined as which of the following?

• A. Actual physical act
• B. Verbal threat
• C. Silent coercion
• D. Duress is not defined in the material

Answer: (A)

Duress in contract law is about pressure that overcomes a party’s ability to freely consent to an agreement. When an actual physical act is used to force someone to enter into a contract, it clearly shows immediate coercion that invalidates voluntary consent, so this fits the described definition of duress in the material. Verbal threats, while coercive in many situations, aren’t described as the form of duress in this material. Silent coercion isn’t the type defined here, and saying that duress isn’t defined contradicts the material’s description. So an actual physical act is the best fit for duress in this context.