prestress

verb

pre·​stress (ˌ)prē-ˈstres How to pronounce prestress (audio)
prestressed; prestressing; prestresses

transitive verb

: to introduce internal stresses into (something, such as a structural beam) to counteract the stresses that will result from applied load (as in incorporating cables under tension in concrete)

Examples of prestress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to its website, Spancrete produces precast, prestressed concrete products that are used in commercial, industrial, institutional, residential and multifamily construction projects in the Midwest and Southeast. Evan Frank, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2019 A start-up ecosystem An anchor of this district is the Halle Freyssinet — a gargantuan railway yard built by the engineer (Eugène Freyssinet) who pioneered the use of prestressed concrete. The Washington Post, The Denver Post, 5 Jan. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prestress was in 1934

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prestress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prestress. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster