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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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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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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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
Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child told Rolling Stone recently that the group may face a lot of pressure due to their rapid ascent. — William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026 What is remarkable is that even with intense economic pressures putting the squeeze on restaurants, Langer’s has not compromised on the quality of its pastrami. — Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Verb
The move comes after Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, pressured the Office of Management and Budget to abandon the effort outright. — David Lim, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Trump’s threats to withhold diesel could further pressure them into action. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 23 Sep. 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
  • By shifting more functionality into the target, FLARE is designed to enable a simpler, more robust driver, reducing component stress, maintenance and downtime.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Hair loss in women can be caused by many things, including your genetics, illnesses, nutritional deficiencies, physiological stress and shifts in hormones.
    — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of stress
Noun
  • Stratolaunch said the additional capacity will help reduce scheduling constraints and support a higher flight cadence.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Mamdani and Chow swapped notes on dealing with the constraints placed on them by their state and provincial governors, and on their respective battles over renters’ rights and the high costs of living in their cities.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of constraint
Verb
  • Rather than forcing clarity, give the situation time to reveal itself.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In May, the TPLF forced out regional leader Tadesse Werede, who reported to Abiy, and replaced him with a new council led by TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, who led the Tigrayans in the previous conflict.
    — SAMUEL GETACHEW, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of force
Noun
  • Alo is also entering a market long dominated by Lululemon—and even the incumbent is showing signs of strain.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Or instead of cutting taxes, the additional revenue can be used to increase community amenities and services that improve quality of life that outweigh the noise and grid strain.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • Still, from early on, Brigitte understood the compulsion as evidence of her mother’s resolve.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Long before the serial killings, Puente publicly claimed to have adopted them — revealing her desperate need for attention and a compulsion to lie.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of compulsion
Verb
  • Moreover, the short extension of the trade armistice only underscores its fragility; Beijing is still squeezing flows of rare earths to extract concessions from the US and coerce its allies, including Japan.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The state did not coerce confessions from Allen during his incarceration.
    — Jenny Porter Tilley, IndyStar, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of coerce
Noun
  • Bailey was named co-deputy director in August 2025 to serve alongside Dan Bongino at a time of high tensions between FBI and Justice Department leadership over the handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
    — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Her existence within pop spaces has come with a bit of inherent tension, as generally left-leaning pop fans have long viewed her potential political affiliations with skepticism.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • The government says some alleged co-conspirators remain at large in Venezuela and are capable of violence and witness intimidation, raising the possibility that Flores could direct others to act on her behalf if released.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Connecticut State Colleges and Universities is discontinuing the investigation into a complaint of bullying and workplace intimidation against Central Connecticut State University President Zulma Toro following her resignation.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pressure

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pressure

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