pressure groups

plural of pressure group
as in interests
a group of people with a common identifying interest that they seek to protect and promote observed that if publishers gave in to every pressure group, nothing would ever get published

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 groups Increasingly, book bans are driven less by individuals than by politically motivated pressure groups targeting decision-makers. Spin Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026 The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security. Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 Cosseted by favorable districts and incumbent fundraising advantages, the majority caters mostly to pressure groups — especially socially conservative ones — that influence Republican primaries. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026 Johnson is calling for coordinated national efforts led by mayors and state governments, in concert with public pressure groups and local residents, to combat the actions by ICE, the Border Patrol and other federal authorities. David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026 At the same time, pressure groups worked hard to get younger, more YIMBY legislators elected. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026 Nearly 72% of censorship attempts in 2024 were initiated by pressure groups and decision makers who have been swayed by them. Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressure groups
Noun
  • However, Lander has accused Goldman of cozying up to Wall Street interests, including corporate political action committees.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • Perhaps not coincidentally, by the millennium, the number of farms operated primarily by women was rising and women were increasingly active in everything from driving tractors to advocating for farmers’ interests.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Once a destination for avid hikers and the Biltmore-browsers, the destination has evolved to attract a variety of age groups and interest groups.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
  • If that isn’t enough, some of the most powerful and well-financed interest groups in politics have spent big in certain primaries.
    Josh Feldman, NBC news, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • An agreement can spare those special interests multi-million dollar fights to win over voters.
    Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
  • Joseph also criticized the inability of lawmakers to work across the aisle to pass legislation that would help residents rather than focusing on the priorities of special interests.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pressure groups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressure%20groups. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster