pressing

adjective

press·​ing ˈpre-siŋ 

1

: urgently important : critical

a pressing issue

2

: earnest, warm

pressingly

ˈpre-siŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• 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 a more pressing fear might be that in the shadow of AI, human beings are preparing their own obsolescence in advance, producing and consuming more and more creative work that seems algorithmic rather than inspired, accepting in blockbuster movies and ... —Ross Douthat, National Review, 24 July 2025

Doing so can ensure that humble experts, who are aware of and transparent about the limits of their expertise, are there to help humanity tackle our world’s most urgent and pressing challenges. —Lauren Keating, Scientific American, 21 July 2025

Beyond environmental issues, the loss of local control is the most pressing concern for coastal cities. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 July 2025

So this ends up being a roundabout way of saying, whatever my most pressing need is kind of becomes my whole life. —Hali Bey Ramdene, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025

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