# put a gun to someone's head

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-a-gun-to-someones-head
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To compel someone (to do something); to create a situation in which someone has no alternative course of action.

## Examples

- Nobody put a gun to your head to take this job.
- You do not have to finish the project tonight; nobody put a gun to your head to work this late.
- While he claimed he was forced into the agreement, no one actually put a gun to his head to sign the contract.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.