as in squeezed
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
as in seized
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in shoved
to push steadily against with some force
an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in huddled
to gather into a closely packed group
everyone pressed around me to see the pictures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
a manager pressed by a business crisis to return from his vacation ahead of schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in urged
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in emphasized
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
an office e-mail that presses the need for greater vigilance concerning building security
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pressed
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Apr. 2026
Uy Scuti Bøyz [YSL] You’d be hard pressed to find an up-and-coming Atlanta rapper who doesn’t want to pay their respects to Young Thug, but not all of them are signed to his label.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed, unlike regular olive oil.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
One would, in fact, be hard-pressed to discover within the historical records of the republic a Cabinet member more hermetically aligned with his commander in chief’s agenda than Hegseth.
—Kelly Sloan, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
The President will be hard pressed to convince anyone aside from his most ardent supporters that what has happened in the past six weeks constitutes an American success.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Even before the takeover, guests wouldn’t have been hard-pressed to find an Ortiz design while on board.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 6 Apr. 2026
Consumers will be hard pressed to find a better minivan in today’s automotive market.
—Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Yoán Moncada or 34-year-old DH Jorge Soler, and the Angels would be hard-pressed to replace them with even average production.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
For example, some limited editions can be pressed in quantities as small as a few hundred, rather than the thousands of a standard edition.
—Nina Derwin, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026
Rajoub was pressed multiple times in the mixed zone on whether the handshake was pre-planned.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Speakers pressed district leadership on its lack of a tangible plan for what instruction would look like for students who transfer from INA to a larger school in the district.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
After securing a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, the Royals pressed their luck against another American League West opponent on Tuesday night.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2023, the High Ridge YMCA building was pressed back into use as a shelter for asylum seekers.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Justice Sonia Sotomayor pressed him on issues of due process, Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked why Congress would have barred review by the courts as broadly as the government asserts, while Justice Clarence Thomas asked about the role of Congress in limiting executive power.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
But Miami pressed hard and had an 18-16 edge in shots, even having a goal annulled on a tight offside call.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Jako Wellness Cafe is the newest addition to Ladera’s dining scene, serving pressed juices, smoothies, and nutrient-rich dishes harvested directly from the resort’s gardens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Apr. 2026
Uy Scuti Bøyz [YSL] You’d be hard pressed to find an up-and-coming Atlanta rapper who doesn’t want to pay their respects to Young Thug, but not all of them are signed to his label.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed, unlike regular olive oil.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
One would, in fact, be hard-pressed to discover within the historical records of the republic a Cabinet member more hermetically aligned with his commander in chief’s agenda than Hegseth.
—Kelly Sloan, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
The President will be hard pressed to convince anyone aside from his most ardent supporters that what has happened in the past six weeks constitutes an American success.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Even before the takeover, guests wouldn’t have been hard-pressed to find an Ortiz design while on board.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 6 Apr. 2026
Consumers will be hard pressed to find a better minivan in today’s automotive market.
—Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Yoán Moncada or 34-year-old DH Jorge Soler, and the Angels would be hard-pressed to replace them with even average production.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
During a March school board meeting, Nicky Smit — a staff member at Sandburg High School — extolled the virtues of foreign language learning and pressed the district to add Arabic language courses.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
For example, some limited editions can be pressed in quantities as small as a few hundred, rather than the thousands of a standard edition.
—Nina Derwin, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026
Rajoub was pressed multiple times in the mixed zone on whether the handshake was pre-planned.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Speakers pressed district leadership on its lack of a tangible plan for what instruction would look like for students who transfer from INA to a larger school in the district.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
After securing a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, the Royals pressed their luck against another American League West opponent on Tuesday night.
—Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026
In 2023, the High Ridge YMCA building was pressed back into use as a shelter for asylum seekers.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Justice Sonia Sotomayor pressed him on issues of due process, Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked why Congress would have barred review by the courts as broadly as the government asserts, while Justice Clarence Thomas asked about the role of Congress in limiting executive power.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
But Miami pressed hard and had an 18-16 edge in shots, even having a goal annulled on a tight offside call.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressed
Adjective
-
The guests, influenced by a secondhand spirit of festivity, ordered a round of Melonades, a refreshing, bittersweet concoction of vodka, lemon, and cantaloupe, topped with a heap of crushed ice.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
Pick everything left in your garden at the end of the season, then preserve it with vinegar, garlic, and a hint of crushed red pepper.—
Andrea Beck,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
China’s military has unveiled a combat drone converted from a Soviet–era fighter jet, a development that could enable massed drone attacks in any future conflict over Taiwan.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressed. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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