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as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
he pushed his way through the press of people outside the courthouse
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3
as in cabinet
a storage case typically having doors and shelves
originally designed as a press for clothes, it now serves to hide the bedroom TV
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as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the fleeing bank robber pressed a nearby taxi into service as a getaway car
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1
as in to shove
to push steadily against with some force
an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard
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3
as in to huddle
to gather into a closely packed group
everyone pressed around me to see the pictures
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5
as in to force
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
a manager pressed by a business crisis to return from his vacation ahead of schedule
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6
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
pressed us to go with them to the school board meeting
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7
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
an office e-mail that presses the need for greater vigilance concerning building security
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Cite this Entry
“Press.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/press. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.
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