pressure

noun pres·sure \ ˈpre-shər \

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Examples: pressure in a Sentence

Definition of pressure

1 a : the burden of physical or mental distress

b : 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

4 a : the action of a force against an opposing force

b : the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its area

c : 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

adjective

See pressure defined for English-language learners

See pressure defined for kids

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

The rate of account suspensions, which Twitter confirmed to the Post, has more than doubled since October, when the company under congressional pressure revealed how Russia used fake accounts to manipulate the U.S. presidential election.

— craig timberg and elizabeth dwoskin, chicagotribune.com, "Twitter is sweeping out fake accounts like never before, putting user growth at risk," 7 July 2018
Djokovic, who at times looked frustrated, overall thrived under the pressure.

— tom perrotta, WSJ, "Novak Djokovic Beats Britain’s Kyle Edmund at Wimbledon," 7 July 2018
Neymar once against went to ground in added time under pressure from Meunier.

— james taylor, Pro Soccer USA, "Brazil 1-2 Belgium: Red Devils Shatter Brazil’s Dreams With Clinical Display to Set Up France Clash," 6 July 2018
Neymar once against went to ground in added time under pressure from Meunier.

— SI.com, "Brazil 1-2 Belgium: Red Devils Shatter Brazil's Dreams With Clinical Display to Set Up France Clash," 6 July 2018
Under such pressure, the government had to take action, says Xin Qiang of Fudan University in Shanghai.

— The Economist, "A deadline looms in China’s battle with foreign firms over Taiwan," 5 July 2018
Under pressure, the Polish government has softened that law, removing criminal penalties.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Israeli historian accuses Benjamin Netanyahu of whitewashing Polish complicity in the Holocaust.," 5 July 2018
Najib's leadership came under further pressure when leaked documents in 2015 showed that $700 million linked to 1MDB went into his private bank account.

— Fox News, "Ex-Malaysia leader's arrest part of a swift fall from grace," 4 July 2018
Norms have been under pressure for a long time As recently as 2003 in the United States, major pieces of controversial legislation could pass the United States Senate with more than 50 but fewer than 60 votes.

— matthew yglesias, Vox, "Donald Trump, the resistance, and the limits of normcore politics," 3 July 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

pressure Synonyms

pressure

verb

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

See pressure defined for English-language learners

Examples of pressure in a Sentence

his father pressured him to go out for the swim team

Recent Examples of pressure from the Web

The penalty tariffs that the United States imposed Friday on China are part of an effort to confront Beijing over development tactics the administration contends include stealing or pressuring foreign companies to hand over technology.

— martin crutsinger, USA TODAY, "US trade deficit drops to $43.1 billion in May; but deficit with China jumps," 6 July 2018
Its trading partners complain that Beijing's initiatives to create global competitors in fields from biotech to robots to electric cars are built on know-how the Chinese government has stolen or pressured foreign companies to hand over.

— joe mcdonald, The Christian Science Monitor, "US tariffs could spur tech development in China," 5 July 2018
There's also the matter of the nanny Monica Thompson, whom Moses implies quit after Mia pressured her to support the charges of abuse.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "Inside Moses Farrow's Defense Of Woody Allen, Accusations Against Mia Farrow," 24 May 2018
His attorneys have been lining up interviews with whomever in an effort gain support in the public, and to pressure the school.

— mac engel, star-telegram, "Listenbee needs Dallas more than HBO | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 25 Apr. 2018
First Anna, and then the men, pressured me to put down my credit card for that block while Anna sorted out the situation with her bank.

— rachel deloache williams, The Hive, "“As an Added Bonus, She Paid for Everything”: My Bright-Lights Misadventure with a Magician of Manhattan," 13 Apr. 2018
The story was splashed across newspapers and television news shows — pressuring Penalver to turn himself in on Aug. 5, 1994.

— lisa arthur, www.feloniousflorida.com, "The Faces of the Killers," 10 Apr. 2018
North Central received threatening letters, and college President Arlo Schilling was pressured to cancel the talk.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "King planted seeds for change at North Central College during Naperville visit, former student/board trustee recalls," 4 Apr. 2018
Making lewd comments, following women, and pressuring them to give out their phone numbers on the street were all considered punishable offenses.

— bridget hallinan, Condé Nast Traveler, "Where Women Are Winning Around the World," 2 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of pressure

1938

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

pressure Synonyms

Synonyms

blackjack, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, drive, force, impel, impress, make, muscle, obligate, oblige, press, sandbag;

Near Antonyms

allow, let, permit;

argue, convince, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over);

blackmail, high-pressure, menace, shame, terrorize, threaten;

drag;

badger, harass, hound;

Phrases

twist one's arm;

PRESSURE Defined for English Language Learners

pressure

noun

Definition of pressure for English Language Learners

: the weight or force that is produced when something presses or pushes against something else
: the action of pressing or pushing against something
: the weight of the air in the Earth's atmosphere