Definition of pressure
1a : the burden of physical or mental distressb : the constraint of circumstance : the weight of social or economic imposition
2 : the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it : compression
3 archaic : impression, stamp
4a : the action of a force against an opposing forceb : the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its areac : electromotive force
5 : the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention : exigency people who work well under pressure
6 : the force of selection that results from one or more agents and tends to reduce a population of organisms population pressure predation pressure
7 : the pressure exerted in every direction by the weight of the atmosphere
8 : a sensation aroused by moderate compression of a body part or surface
pressureless
adjectiveIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of pressure in a Sentence
Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.
the pressure of the compressed air inside the chamber
The animal's jaws can exert a pressure of more than 750 pounds per square inch.
The horse will respond to the slightest pressure of a rider's knee.
The fruit yields to gentle pressure when it's ripe.
the normal air pressure at sea level
He gave in to the social pressures to act and dress like everybody else.
She felt a constant pressure to earn more money.
Recent Examples of pressure from the Web
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The resignation of Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, deprives Mr. Netanyahu of his strongest ally inside the White House for raising pressure on Iran.
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New England quarterback Tom Brady threw a touchdown pass to Chris Hogan under pressure from Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil in the fourth quarter tonight.
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Fourth, have the courage to stand together as a swing legislative caucus, when the pressure from the party leaderships becomes intense.
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Hawaii guard Leland Green (0) puts defensive pressure on Troy guard Wesley Person (3) during the first half of a college basketball game on Friday, November 25, 2016 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu.
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Including a public option in the marketplaces would increase competitive pressure.
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Friends and colleagues say that, despite a controversy that has entangled the F.B.I. in presidential politics, Mr. Comey feels no pressure to leave office and has no plans to do so.
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Hoping to deflect pressure from the Arab Quartet, Mr. Abbas in recent days visited more supportive regional powers, Turkey and Qatar.
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Many investors expect stock prices to continue grinding higher, because with bond yields still near historic lows and growth under pressure in Europe and Japan, there are few alternatives to equities.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pressure'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of pressure
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pressura, from Latin, action of pressing, pressure, from pressus, past participle of premere
First Known Use: 14th century
pressure
Definition of pressure
pressured
;pressuring
play \ˈpre-sh(ə-)riŋ\transitive verb
1 : to apply pressure to
2 : pressurize
3 : to cook in a pressure cooker
Examples of pressure in a Sentence
his father pressured him to go out for the swim team
Recent Examples of pressure from the Web
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Mr. Fox was accused of advising Mr. Samson to pressure United into restoring the unprofitable flights by blocking a lease for a maintenance hangar that the airline was seeking to build.
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Evidence of state involvement in Mr. Kim’s death could pressure the United States to put the North back on its list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
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Mr. Gou added that Foxconn would also remain active in China, dispelling talk that Beijing was pressuring Foxconn about its investments.
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A rallying of public support for the accord by the church may be the best way of pressuring Kabila to organize elections and step down without bloodshed.
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Since the election, Trump has successfully pressured several manufacturers to keep some jobs in the United States, including Ford and United Technologies' air conditioning unit Carrier.
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But with Trump poised to be take office and showing no hesitation to use his new clout to publicly pressure companies over their practices, Ford abruptly reversed course.
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Into Follow-Up Deals – Dealers may try to pressure you into a secondary deal if the financing on your first deal falls through.
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Ahn Jong-beom, Park’s former senior secretary for policy coordination, allegedly directed former Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo to pressure the National Pension Service to support a merger between two Samsung affiliates last year.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pressure'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
1938
First Known Use of pressure
1938
PRESSURE Defined for English Language Learners
pressure
playDefinition of pressure for English Language Learners
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: the weight or force that is produced when something presses or pushes against something else
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: the action of pressing or pushing against something
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: the weight of the air in the Earth's atmosphere
pressure
Definition of pressure for English Language Learners
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: to use pressure to force or try to force (someone) to do something
PRESSURE Defined for Kids
pressure
playDefinition of pressure for Students
1 : the action of pushing steadily against
2 : a force or influence that cannot be avoided social pressure
3 : the force with which one body presses against another
4 : the need to get things done Mom works well under pressure.
Medical Dictionary
pressure
playMedical Definition of pressure
1: the burden of mental or physical distress especially from grief, illness, or adversity
2: the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it : compression
3a: the action of a force against some opposing force : a force in the nature of a thrust distributed over a surfaceb: the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by the area of the surface
6: a touch sensation aroused by moderate compression of the skin
Learn More about pressure
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pressure Spanish Central: Translation of pressure Nglish: Translation of pressure for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pressure for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pressure
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