as in urgent
needing immediate attention
she had pressing business on the other side of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in seizing
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 shoving
to push steadily against with some force
an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in squeezing
to apply external pressure on so as to force out the juice or contents of
my family will only drink juice from freshly pressed oranges
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in huddling
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 forcing
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 urging
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 highlighting
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.
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Recent Examples of pressing
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
As universities continue to adopt AI technologies, the consequences for intellectual freedom, democratic decision-making and commitment to the public good will become an increasingly pressing question.
—Chris Wegemer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
Minnesota went into the bye week knowing how pressing this concern was.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pressing
Adjective
In an age dominated by artificial intelligence, where data access speed is everything, this advancement addresses one of computing’s most pressing bottlenecks.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
As universities continue to adopt AI technologies, the consequences for intellectual freedom, democratic decision-making and commitment to the public good will become an increasingly pressing question.
—Chris Wegemer, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
In another, agents knocked over and then tackled a 79-year-old car wash owner, pressing their knees into his neck and back.
—Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
Minnesota went into the bye week knowing how pressing this concern was.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pressing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressing
Adjective
-
Streamlining communication and clearly denoting important or urgent information can go a long way in helping families navigate a sea of information.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
15 Oct. 2025
-
And before any of that, there’s a more urgent challenge — getting food and medicine to the people in Gaza.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite highly unusual aid from our nation, an acute crunch including a devaluation of Argentina’s currency and a 10th default on its debt is very possible.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
-
In Russia, this problem was especially acute.—
Julia Ioffe,
New Yorker,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressing. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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