squeeze

verb

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\ ˈskwēz

squeezed; squeezing

Definition of squeeze

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

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

b : to extract or emit under pressure

c : to force or thrust by compression

2a(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

squeeze

noun

Definition of squeeze (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an act or instance of squeezing : compression

b : handclasp also : embrace

2a : 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

Other Words from squeeze Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing squeeze Learn More About squeeze

Other Words from squeeze

Verb

squeezability \ ˌskwē-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

squeezable \ ˈskwē-zə-bəl

\ adjective

squeezer noun

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb To allow the oil to absorb, fill the tincture with the dose and squeeze it under the tongue. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Apr. 2022 Guardianship rules require a male relative to accompany women, one in a series of measures that women say threaten to squeeze them out of public and professional life. — WSJ, 5 Apr. 2022 In the meantime, companies are trying to squeeze more goods onto each container ship. — Amy Feldman, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2022 California legislators plan to introduce a bill that would force the state’s giant pension funds to divest any Russian assets, joining lawmakers in other states trying to squeeze the country over its war in Ukraine. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2022 In other words, Intel is trying to squeeze Arm from the top and the bottom. — Tim De Chant, Ars Technica, 9 Feb. 2022 Trying to squeeze into clothes that are too tight can be a shortcut to body shame, Poirier said. — Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021 For the Holland iteration, Sony allied with Disney to squeeze him into the existing Marvel world, an approach that lets the character bounce around in a bigger sandbox, though at the risk of being overshadowed by bigger stars. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2021 Callum’s mom, Ben’s mom, Jack’s mom, Nathan’s mom, like a high school football star trying to squeeze into their letterman jacket decades later. — Jennifer Mcguire, refinery29.com, 13 Dec. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Fontana had the tightest squeeze, with an average of 295 square feet. — Kellie Hwang, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 May 2022 Dodgers manager Dave Roberts telegraphed the squeeze by inserting Barnes as a runner and Alberto as a batter. — Steve Hensonassistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 For biotechs that hit study setbacks or are still years away from bringing drugs on the market, the squeeze has meant dwindling cash reserves and then, painful cost cuts. — Joseph Walker, WSJ, 11 May 2022 Despite the inflation squeeze, consumers — the primary driver of the economy — are still spending at a healthy pace. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 May 2022 Rapidly-rising inflation rates leveled off slightly in April, but the higher prices are still putting the squeeze on monthly budgets, forcing many Americans to make tough compromises to keep afloat financially. — Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 11 May 2022 South Alabama jumped on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first, with both runs coming on Kamdyn Kvistad’s squeeze bunt that also included a Georgia State error. — Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 11 May 2022 Devices that make semi-automatic weapons fully automatic — meaning one squeeze of the trigger releases multiple cartridges — are also becoming more common. — Jessica Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2022 The squeeze on consumer spending could be felt in a few months at the start of the Christmas retail season, the economy’s biggest consumer event, Klepper-Smith said. — Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2022 See More

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.