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

Economic concerns in Africa are more pressing for women than men, Gallup found. —Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026

Martinez has been leading the organization's efforts to knock on doors across Texas in efforts to identify the most pressing issues for voters ahead of rolling out endorsements in congressional races. —Fin Daniel Gómez, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026

Pitaro’s first and most pressing goal was to rebuild ESPN’s relationship with the NFL. —Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026

The mental health and wellbeing of our youth is among the most pressing issues facing our society today, driven by factors ranging from academic and peer pressures, instability at home, economic uncertainty and overuse of devices. —Carlos Curbelo, Sun Sentinel, 1 Feb. 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