pressing

adjective

press·​ing ˈpre-siŋ 

1

: urgently important : critical

a pressing issue

2

: earnest, warm

pressingly

ˈpre-siŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of pressing

• urgent
• acute

Examples of pressing in a Sentence

a pressing need for reform

she had pressing business on the other side of town

Recent Examples on the Web

With regards to international affairs, there are multiple more pressing issues, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 20 May 2026

Four of America’s largest retailers will report their quarterly earnings this week, and the most pressing question the reports will answer is whether Americans are finally starting to buckle under the weight of rising prices. —Allie Canal, NBC news, 19 May 2026

Add to all this that capital outlays frequently unearth new productive leaps heretofore not thought of, and a quick completion of this merger becomes more pressing. —John Tamny, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026

Durglo and other members of the advisory committee update the Tribes' climate action plan every three years to reflect the most pressing issues. —Ellis Juhlin, NPR, 18 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pressing

• flesh-pressing

Rhymes for pressing

• blessing
• dressing
• guessing
• messing
• stressing
• accessing
• addressing
• assessing
• caressing
• compressing
• confessing
• depressing

Kids Definition

pressing

adjective

press·​ing ˈpres-iŋ 

: needing one's immediate attention

a pressing issue

pressingly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb