compressed

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adjective com·pressed \ kəm-ˈprest also ˈkäm-ˌprest \

Definition of compressed

1 :pressed together :reduced in size or volume (as by pressure)

2 :flattened as though subjected to compression:

a :flattened laterally

petioles compressed

b :narrow from side to side and deep in a dorsoventral direction

—

compressedly

play \kəm-ˈprest-lē, -ˈpre-səd-lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of compressed from the Web

A Burke County deputy who fatally shot a man holding a compressed-air pistol Monday night acted lawfully, the District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

— charlotteobserver, "DA: Burke County deputy acted lawfully in shooting of man holding CO2 pistol," 24 Aug. 2017
Deep, old layers are driven up, while wind strips away snow and younger ice, revealing the lustrous blue of compressed ice below.

— paul voosen, Science | AAAS, "Record-shattering 2.7-million-year-old ice core reveals start of the ice ages," 15 Aug. 2017
Once the bloodshed is over, Washington seizes control of his destiny, traveling abroad with his young wife and studying the new technique of caissons fed with compressed air.

— joseph alexiou, New York Times, "The Personal and Political Struggles of the Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge," 8 Aug. 2017
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office later concluded King-Smith had died from asphyxia and a compressed neck.

— andy nguyen, Glendale News-Press, "Former Marine gets 3 years for 2015 Glendale choking death," 8 Aug. 2017
Those hands belonged to technician Mark Mitchell, who compares the process of separating dinosaur from rock to chipping concrete chunks from a surface as soft as compressed talcum powder.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "A Dinosaur So Well Preserved It Looks Like a Statue," 3 Aug. 2017
The compressed springs capture and hold on to the energy that would otherwise be dissipated.

— kyle frischkorn, Smithsonian, "New Assistive Stairs Put a Spring in Your Step," 13 July 2017
Five energy companies had asked for permission to perform the seismic tests, which involve firing intense blasts of compressed air.

— scott dance, Washington Post, "Hogan opposes offshore drilling as state raises concerns about seismic testing," 9 July 2017
The compressed schedule of having the NBA Finals, NBA Draft, NBA summer leagues and NBA free agency all occurring within a month's span keeps the buzz high for the sport before a couple months of relative chill.

— adi joseph, USA TODAY, "NBA is big winner in Hayward's July 4 drama," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'compressed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of compressed

14th century

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compressedly

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compressedly

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