pressurize

verb

pres·​sur·​ize ˈpre-shə-ˌrīz 

pressurized; pressurizing

transitive verb

1

: to confine the contents of under a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere

especially : to maintain near-normal atmospheric pressure in during high-altitude or spaceflight (as by means of a supercharger)

2

: to apply pressure to

3

: to design to withstand pressure

pressurization

ˌpre-sh(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

pressurizer noun

Examples of pressurize in a Sentence

A pump is used to pressurize the fuel.

The system that pressurizes the airplane's cabin failed to operate correctly.

Don't let them pressurize you to do anything you don't want to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

Cabins aren’t fully pressurized, so the gas in your stomach expands at altitude and leaves you bloated. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026

These cans are pressurized and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit or above. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 June 2026

Next, researchers pressurize the inside of the segment to replicate the internal stress of a full-length active rod. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026

On Friday, a third-party employee working at the facility was hospitalized after drilling into a tank that pressurized and sprayed sulfuric acid onto the worker, The Charlotte Observer’s news partner WSOC reported. —Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pressurize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

pressurize

verb

pres·​sur·​ize ˈpresh-ə-ˌrīz 

pressurized; pressurizing

1

: to maintain near-normal atmospheric pressure in

pressurize an airplane cabin

2

: to apply pressure to

pressurization

ˌpresh-(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən

noun