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

But the more pressing question is not how much money came in. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026

These concerns are less pressing for banks and traditional investment houses, which not only are more likely to have human intermediaries, but also are working with AI providers to bake robust compliance measures into their AI tools. —Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026

Since its founding in 1972, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has worked alongside donors, nonprofit organizations and community members to address the region’s most pressing challenges. —Danita R. Dehaney, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026

Our country is at war, American lives are at stake, and the answer to these questions has never been more pressing. —Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 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