blood pressure

noun

: pressure that is exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels and especially arteries and that varies with the muscular efficiency of the heart, the blood volume and viscosity, the age and health of the individual, and the state of the vascular wall

Examples of blood pressure in a Sentence

The doctor says he has high blood pressure.

These drugs help lower blood pressure.

She has a blood pressure of 120.

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, Gange recalls stepping away for five minutes to take a patient’s blood pressure despite being overwhelmed with tasks while working at a different Walgreens location several years ago. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 11 May 2025

Most significantly, the new Whoop purports to measure your blood pressure, which isn’t currently available on any other wearable fitness tracker. —Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 10 May 2025

Court documents state that the anesthesiologist failed to properly manage Maura's blood pressure or formulate a plan to treat preeclampsia, and went ahead with the C-section before the preeclampsia testing results came back from the lab. —Gillian Telling, People.com, 9 May 2025

Magnesium helps to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, helps to keep bones strong, helps muscles contract, and helps to keep a steady heartbeat. —Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 8 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blood pressure

• refresher
• acupressure
• overpressure
• flesher
• fresher
• thresher

Kids Definition

blood pressure

noun

: pressure of the blood on the walls of blood vessels and especially arteries that varies with physical condition and age

Medical Definition

blood pressure

noun

: pressure exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels and especially arteries, usually measured on the radial artery by means of a sphygmomanometer, and expressed in millimeters of mercury either as a fraction having as numerator the maximum pressure that follows systole of the left ventricle of the heart and as denominator the minimum pressure that accompanies cardiac diastole or as a whole number representing the first value only

a blood pressure of 120/80

a blood pressure of 120

—abbreviation BP