1
as in pantries
a built-in space for storage behind a door
put the towels in the linen press
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
he pushed his way through the press of people outside the courthouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in cabinets
a storage case typically having doors and shelves
originally designed as a press for clothes, it now serves to hide the bedroom TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in seizes
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 shoves
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 huddles
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 forces
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 urges
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 emphasizes
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of presses
Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Try different plank variations and Pallof presses.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Later, Austin lets off some steam by doing shoulder presses.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
Guides picked by the hotel lead walking tours of the Sassi of Matera and the nearby town of Altamura; a highlight for me was visiting one of Italy’s oldest printing presses and a cheese tasting at Caseificio Dicecca, a favorite of Stanley Tucci’s.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
At the time there were no computers, and the only printers were the industrial-sized printing presses that produced daily newspapers.
—Chris Anderson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Her abundant belly presses his shoulder in a second sort of kiss.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
One of the earliest of American masculinity influencers was President Theodore Roosevelt, who touted his own transformation from a timid, effeminate man – local presses mocked him in his early career – to a rugged outdoorsman.
—Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
That said, its opposition to severe Pluto presses against your dependable 6th house, potentially dragging you away from rest.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Celina Yong, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Graham-Dixon presses its claim afresh, and, in the process, discovers it everywhere.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Mahajan presses firmly into the inner lives and cerebral crevices of terror victims, witnesses and perpetrators.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Chief Justice Nels Peterson presses a Clayton prosecutor about citing cases that don’t exist.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Energy and communication are important for a team that presses all game long and hunts 3-pointers.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
The variation in barrel sizes adds dimension to the pattern, while the deep wave shape presses a more pronounced bend into the hair, so the style holds its structure without looking stiff or overly uniform.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026
Outside of these scenarios, taking melatonin may not have as much upside—your brain is already making the melatonin that signals sleepy time each evening, and adding more simply presses the same button.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Mar. 2026
The Chatten-Brown letter presses council members to require the developer to fully mitigate project impacts so that taxpayers are not later required to shoulder the cost of infrastructure.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
For starters, the keys closest to the center of the keyboard are slightly elongated to avoid mistaken presses.
—Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Try different plank variations and Pallof presses.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Later, Austin lets off some steam by doing shoulder presses.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
Guides picked by the hotel lead walking tours of the Sassi of Matera and the nearby town of Altamura; a highlight for me was visiting one of Italy’s oldest printing presses and a cheese tasting at Caseificio Dicecca, a favorite of Stanley Tucci’s.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
At the time there were no computers, and the only printers were the industrial-sized printing presses that produced daily newspapers.
—Chris Anderson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Her abundant belly presses his shoulder in a second sort of kiss.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
One of the earliest of American masculinity influencers was President Theodore Roosevelt, who touted his own transformation from a timid, effeminate man – local presses mocked him in his early career – to a rugged outdoorsman.
—Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
That said, its opposition to severe Pluto presses against your dependable 6th house, potentially dragging you away from rest.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
Before laboratory panels, before imaging, before algorithms, physicians attempted to understand how the world presses upon a particular body over time.
—Celina Yong, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
Graham-Dixon presses its claim afresh, and, in the process, discovers it everywhere.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Mahajan presses firmly into the inner lives and cerebral crevices of terror victims, witnesses and perpetrators.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Chief Justice Nels Peterson presses a Clayton prosecutor about citing cases that don’t exist.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Energy and communication are important for a team that presses all game long and hunts 3-pointers.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
The variation in barrel sizes adds dimension to the pattern, while the deep wave shape presses a more pronounced bend into the hair, so the style holds its structure without looking stiff or overly uniform.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026
Outside of these scenarios, taking melatonin may not have as much upside—your brain is already making the melatonin that signals sleepy time each evening, and adding more simply presses the same button.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Mar. 2026
The Chatten-Brown letter presses council members to require the developer to fully mitigate project impacts so that taxpayers are not later required to shoulder the cost of infrastructure.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presses
Noun
-
By the 17th and 18th centuries, jam became a staple in European pantries, later making its way over to American tables.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The nonprofit also organizes pop-up pantries, helps senior centers and supports homeless shelters.—
Mike Spatocco,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The race draws massive crowds into the city, and there are several events as throngs of people visit the city on Marathon Monday.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
This is a popular sunset spot, so expect throngs of other tourists (but don't worry, seeing the spectacle with fellow travelers can actually be quite fun).—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lula and Sánchez, along with ministers from their cabinets, are meeting at a former royal palace in Barcelona on Friday when they are expected to sign agreements regarding their economies, technology and social policies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Workbenches, tool cabinets, and shelving units collect motor oil residue, sawdust, and dirt.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The home had several storage cupboards with bifold doors that would have been impractical to remove.—
Amy Bradford,
Architectural Digest,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Makes sure all food on counters or in cupboards is stored in airtight food storage containers.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The book was completed months before Anthropic’s redlines generated new interest in autonomous-drone swarms and killer robots, but even then the writing was on the wall.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The power of drone swarms on battlefields has been witnessed in multiple wars to date.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Store food, toiletries, and scented items inside bear-resistant food canisters or bear lockers.—
Sarah Linn,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
On Wednesday, Blue Jackets players cleaned out their lockers, had exit meetings and met with the media.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Oldham knew the Beatles played primarily to hordes of screaming girls.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
-
While the course’s low rates have attracted hordes of players, the city has determined that much of the problem stems from the golf course’s 86 annual members, who provide the least amount of revenue yet account for one-quarter of the golf course’s total usage, according to Couceyro.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Here, French doors access a private balcony with views of the western hills while inside there are dressing areas for him and her with custom built-ins, individual closets, and an ensuite bath with a walk-in shower, a lovely soaking tub, separate water closet space, and double sinks.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The bedrooms all come with walk-in closets and private bathrooms.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presses. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
