squeeze

play

verb \ ˈskwēz \

Definition of squeeze

squeezed; squeezing

transitive verb

1 a :to exert pressure especially on opposite sides of :compress

b :to extract or emit under pressure

c :to force or thrust by compression

2 a (1) :to get by extortion

(2) :to deprive by extortion

b :to cause economic hardship to

c :to reduce the amount of

squeezes profits

3 :to crowd into a limited area

4 :to gain or win by a narrow margin

5 :to force (another player) to discard in bridge so as to unguard a suit

6 :to score by means of a squeeze play

intransitive verb

1 :to give way before pressure

2 :to exert pressure; also :to practice extortion or oppression

3 :to force one's way

squeeze through a door

4 :to pass, win, or get by narrowly

—

squeezability

play \ˌskwē-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

squeezable

play \ˈskwē-zə-bəl\ adjective

—

squeezer

noun

See squeeze defined for English-language learners

See squeeze defined for kids

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

He lightly squeezed her hand and smiled.
Gently squeeze the fruit to see if it's ripe.
Hold it securely but don't squeeze too hard.
He squeezed the juice from the orange.

Recent Examples of squeeze from the Web

BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says Islamic State militants are caught in a military vise that will squeeze them from both ends of the Euphrates River valley that bisects Iraq and Syria.

— robert burns, The Seattle Times, "Mattis: IS militants caught in Iraq-Syria military vise," 21 Aug. 2017
But some are finding the opposite is true, as pharmaceutical companies squeeze the last profits from products that are facing cheaper generic competition.

— charles ornstein and katie thomas, New York Times, "Take the Generic, Patients Are Told. Until They Are Not.," 6 Aug. 2017
Or watching someone squeeze and squeeze a balloon and trying to prepare for the inevitable pop.

— Longreads, "The Arsonist Was Like a Ghost," 2 Aug. 2017
TV stations will need be squeezed into a narrower swath of spectrum as mobile operators buy up the old airwaves to keep our smartphones online.

— Bloomberg.com, "Why the Spectrum Is Worth Billions," 28 July 2017
It was presented in the small, black-box Fifth-Third Theater at the Aronoff Center, with the audience squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder on seats on risers.

— janelle gelfand, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Opera makes history with Missy Mazzoli's 'Song from the Uproar'," 19 July 2017
Imposing temporary administration could also squeeze credit to small and medium-sized business, threaten inflation and harm the investment climate, according to their statement.

— henry meyer, Bloomberg.com, "Prosecutors Contest Bank of Russia's Moratorium on Lender," 19 July 2017
Once Green's allegations that Johnson squeezed her buttocks were first reported by the Courier-Journal, Johnson took to Twitter and accused her of harassment.

— phillip m. bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Dan Johnson: Metro Council members breaking ethics rules to 'handpick' my replacement," 17 July 2017
Squeeze out the excess moisture with a clean towel. Reshape the brush head.

— kate sullivan, Allure, "How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes (and How Often You Should Do It)," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'squeeze.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of squeeze

alteration of obsolete English quease, from Middle English queysen, from Old English cwȳsan; akin to Icelandic kveisa stomach cramps

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1601

See Words from the same year

squeeze Synonyms

Synonyms

crush, express, mash, ²press

Antonyms

decompress, expand, open, outspread, outstretch

Related Words

ream; pulp, puree (or purée); extract, extrude

Near Antonyms

dilate, disperse, dissipate, scatter; distend, inflate, swell

squeeze

noun

Definition of squeeze

1 a :an act or instance of squeezing :compression

b :handclasp; also :embrace

2 a :a quantity squeezed out from something

a squeeze of lemon

b :a group crowded together :crowd

3 :a profit taken by a middleman on goods or transactions

4 :a financial pressure caused by narrowing margins or by shortages

5 :a forced discard in bridge

6 :squeeze play

7 slang :a romantic partner

she's my main squeeze

See squeeze defined for English-language learners

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

Fifty guests will be a bit of a squeeze.
It'll be a tight squeeze, but we can all fit.

Recent Examples of squeeze from the Web

Vazquez then executed a safety squeeze bunt scoring Nunez as the go-ahead run.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Huge Comeback Lifts Yard Goats Past SeaWolves, 10-8," 4 Aug. 2017
When is the juice worth the squeeze? Don’t ask Adam Gase.

— adam h. beasley, miamiherald, "Dolphins go old-school with physical practice, but risk might have trumped any reward," 31 July 2017
Tim Anderson doubled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Yolmer Sanchez's suicide squeeze in the ninth.

— colleen kane, chicagotribune.com, "Rick Renteria likes 'positive direction' after White Sox earn 5th win in 6 games," 17 June 2017
To avoid straining your hands with everyday tasks, switch to pumps for lotions, toothpaste, shampoos, and conditioners, and use the palm of your hand to pump instead of squeeze containers.

— angel biasatti, star-telegram.com, "Keeping your hands healthy and pain free this summer," 6 June 2017
The financial squeeze is being felt at all four of the campuses — Kansas City, Columbia, St. Louis and Rolla.

— kansascity, kansascity.com, "UM system cutting $101 million from its four campuses," 2 June 2017
The Boone Grove senior first baseman put down a squeeze bunt Wednesday with one out in the 23rd to score Jessica Mayer, lifting the Wolves to a 3-2 win against Ashley Gordish and Bishop Noll.

— michael osipoff, Post-Tribune, "Gianna Hamady and Boone Grove get past Bishop Noll in 23 innings," 31 May 2017
The People’s Fair is also an event some Denver residents love to hate, given the street closures, parking squeeze and other traffic-and-noise disruptions.

— john wenzel, The Know, "The People’s Fair has a new behind-the-scenes team. How will it affect the longtime Civic Center event?," 31 May 2017
Faber-Cournane also scored the game's only run on a suicide squeeze bunt by freshman third baseman Brooklyn Campos in the top of the seventh.

— gregg voss, chicagotribune.com, "Another shutout carries young IC Catholic to softball sectional title," 27 May 2017

First Known Use of squeeze

1611

squeeze Synonyms

Synonyms

compacting, compaction, condensation, condensing, constricting, constriction, contracting, contraction, compression, squeezing, telescoping

Antonyms

decompression, expansion

Related Words

abbreviation, abridgment (or abridgement), curtailment, shortening; concentration, consolidation; simplification, streamlining; decreasing, diminishment, lessening

Near Antonyms

dilation, dispersion, dissipation, scattering; distension (or distention), inflation, swelling

SQUEEZE Defined for English Language Learners

squeeze

play

verb

Definition of squeeze for English Language Learners

: to press together the parts and especially the opposite sides of (something)
: to get or remove (something) by squeezing something
: to pull back on (a gun's trigger) with your finger

squeeze

noun

Definition of squeeze for English Language Learners

: a situation in which people or things are crowded together
: an act of squeezing something
: a small amount that is gotten or removed from something (such as a piece of fruit) by squeezing it

SQUEEZE Defined for Kids

squeeze

play

verb \ ˈskwēz \

Definition of squeeze for Students

squeezed; squeezing

1 :to press together from the opposite sides or parts of :compress

2 :to get by squeezing

Squeeze the juice from a lemon.

3 :to force or crowd in by compressing

We squeezed into the car.

squeeze

noun

Definition of squeeze for Students

:an act or instance of compressing

Learn More about squeeze

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for squeeze Spanish Central: Translation of squeeze Nglish: Translation of squeeze for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of squeeze for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up squeeze? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

squeeze

Definition of squeeze

squeezability

squeezable

squeezer

From the M-W Editors

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

Recent Examples of squeeze from the Web

Origin and Etymology of squeeze

squeeze Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

squeeze

Definition of squeeze

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

Recent Examples of squeeze from the Web

First Known Use of squeeze

squeeze Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Phrases Related to SQUEEZE

Related Phrases

SQUEEZE Defined for English Language Learners

squeeze

Definition of squeeze for English Language Learners

squeeze

Definition of squeeze for English Language Learners

SQUEEZE Defined for Kids

squeeze

Definition of squeeze for Students

squeeze

Definition of squeeze for Students

Learn More about squeeze

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Trending: Ivanka: "An 'Otherwise' Incredible Day"

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066