as in urgent
needing immediate attention
she had pressing business on the other side of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in seizing
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the fleeing bank robber pressed a nearby taxi into service as a getaway car
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in shoving
to push steadily against with some force
an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in squeezing
to apply external pressure on so as to force out the juice or contents of
my family will only drink juice from freshly pressed oranges
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in huddling
to gather into a closely packed group
everyone pressed around me to see the pictures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in forcing
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
a manager pressed by a business crisis to return from his vacation ahead of schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in urging
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
pressed us to go with them to the school board meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in highlighting
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
an office e-mail that presses the need for greater vigilance concerning building security
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of pressing
Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Those concerns can become even more pressing if your credit card debt starts to spiral.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 18 June 2026
India has been pressing Trump for a visit, potentially as part of a broader meeting involving Japan and Australia.
—Kyra Colah, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pressing
Adjective
Lizzo’s assistant is piling suitcases in the entryway of the musician’s home in Los Angeles when suddenly her boss reassigns her to a more pressing task.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Those concerns can become even more pressing if your credit card debt starts to spiral.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Verb
This morning, the NSF reversed course, pressing pause on its plans and promising to convene an expert panel to reassess.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 18 June 2026
India has been pressing Trump for a visit, potentially as part of a broader meeting involving Japan and Australia.
—Kyra Colah, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pressing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressing
Adjective
-
The 29-year-old forward applied for an urgent visa at the United States embassy in Bern on June 3, one day after he was denied boarding the team’s flight to travel for his third World Cup because of a 2018 criminal conviction that was only finalized in April.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
-
What This Means for People Using GLP-1 Drugs With GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro now used by millions, questions about what happens when people stop taking them and regain weight have become urgent.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
He’s drawn to attempting to achieve things that his predecessors could not, including seizing territory for the United States (Greenland, for sure, but maybe Canada, too) and toppling antagonistic regimes (Venezuela, Iran, possibly Cuba).—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
-
The Scarborough Shoal, known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Dao, sits within Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, but Beijing has maintained a near-constant presence around the shoal after seizing de facto control in a tense 2012 standoff.—
James LaPorta,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
He was accused of hitting a man in the back of the head with a metal pipe inside the victim’s girlfriend’s home, then shoving the victim up against the wall and pushing the pipe up against his neck.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
-
In the video, the first driver can be seen shoving the second vehicle's door closed as the driver attempts to get out of their vehicle.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
County officials pointed to state budget cuts and a $276,000 drop in liquor revenue as factors squeezing finances.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
18 June 2026
-
Grip the handles on the sides of the machine, tighten your core, and extend your legs, squeezing your quadriceps (top thigh muscles) at the top.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The group stopped for water and snacks every 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers), huddling under a barn during one rainy stretch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
-
The group stopped for water and snacks every 10 to 15 miles, huddling under a barn during one rainy stretch.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump is pushing France to nix a 3% tech levy on revenue from large digital services that has been in place since 2019.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2026
-
If their next outing doesn’t keep carefully evolving, they can get branded a one-trick pony, but pushing the envelope too far can alienate day-one fans.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Clark finished with 21 points, forcing Toronto to respect her scoring ability and preventing defenders from keying solely on her passing.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
-
The Saudis should be thrilled with the draw, as favored Uruguay, La Celeste, dominated large patches of the match with 67 percent overall possession, a 10-3 margin in shots, 14-4 in corner kicks, more than double the accurate passes and forcing nine saves of the busy Saudi goalkeeper.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
After Ikeda’s California Country Market was nominated for the contest, Ikeda campaigned relentlessly to drum up support, urging fans and customers to cast daily votes.—
Anne Ewbank,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
Fire officials are urging residents to take precautions.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressing. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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