pressure 1 of 2

noun

ˈpre-shər How to pronounce pressure (audio)
Definition of pressurenext
1
as in stress
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time a business executive who works well under pressure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in constraint
the use of power to impose one's will on another pressure from their peers can often cause teens to do things that they normally wouldn't consider

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pressure

2 of 2

verb

as in to force
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure his father pressured him to go out for the swim team

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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 pressure
Noun
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Tuesday, bowing to pressure after the removal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sparked the fiercest leadership crisis of his presidency. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 July 2026 Climate change is adding further pressure to food systems and rural livelihoods. — ABC News, 21 July 2026
Verb
The relentless Carapaz pressured the American on the descents and put himself in the position to profit. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 25 July 2026 House Republicans have spent recent months pressuring the Senate to take up the SAVE America Act, as some House members have gone as far as to call out Thune on social media. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pressure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressure
  1. stress
  2. constraint
  3. force
  4. strain
  5. compulsion
  6. coerce
  7. tension
  8. intimidation
Noun
  • In a terrifying moment that the Torres family said caused intense stress, a lightning bolt hit their house.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • But when stress, pollution, hormonal fluctuations, heat styling, and everyday life leave hair brittle, dull, and prone to breakage, there’s only so much a topical treatment can do.
    — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 27 July 2026
Definition of stress
Noun
  • Device fragmentation, network variability, OS-level constraints, battery states and memory limits are not edge cases.
    — Jim Douglas, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Over the weekend of July 18 to July 19, OpenAI employees began to see signs in their systems that the agent had escaped from the testing constraints.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of constraint
Verb
  • In the Netherlands and neighboring Germany cargo ships that ply the Rhine and its offshoots have been forced to carry significantly less freight or risk running aground in shallow navigation channels.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The fire has also forced evacuations at Spokane’s veterans’ hospital, water reclamation facility and waste-to-energy plant, city officials said.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of force
Noun
  • Starting in Arraez’s place was Basabe, who has spent more time with the club than originally anticipated due to Matt Chapman’s lingering abdominal strain.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Big earthquakes then release that strain, before the cycle starts again.
    — Rong-Gong Lin II Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • The compulsion to seek out fun in summer heat is driven by a mix of biological boosts, social conditioning, and psychological relief from winter confinement.
    — Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The real question is whether Pennsylvania and cities like Pittsburgh want skill games and other gambling opportunities to be widespread and unavoidable for people who struggle with compulsions to gamble.
    — Jonathan Caulkins, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Definition of compulsion
Verb
  • Anna’s colleague Noa Toussaint (CCH Pounder) follows with a video of Max coercing his mistress into suicide, shattering the narrative that bought his freedom.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Empact says there's also a growing use of artificial intelligence to extort and coerce juveniles into human trafficking.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of coerce
Noun
  • As tensions rise with the Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento City Unified is pressing ahead with a new fiscal sustainability plan aimed at avoiding insolvency and preserving local control.
    — Chaewon Chung July 30, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Shaw also noted tensions with immigration enforcement crackdowns happening near school campuses.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • But fears of future intimidation do not excuse preemptive capitulation.
    — Ivan Oransky, STAT, 31 July 2026
  • Majorities of Americans are worried about election officials being coerced, lax ballot security, and voter intimidation leading up to the 2026 midterm elections, according to new polling from Gallup.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of intimidation

Phrases Containing pressure

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pressmen
pressure
pressure-cook
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Cite this Entry

“Pressure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressure. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pressure

Nglish: Translation of pressure for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pressure

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