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
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
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Recent Examples of pressure
Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
While the California initiative to make billionaires pay a one-time 5% tax on any net worth exceeding $1 billion has yet to collect enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, real estate companies in Florida say the pressure is making Californians consider moving to the Sunshine State.
—Elaine Mallon, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, says Trump is pressuring news organizations and universities to address problems with liberal bias.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pressure
Noun
President Zelensky said the attack demonstrates diplomacy cannot end the war without sustained international pressure and binding security guarantees for Ukraine.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
While the California initiative to make billionaires pay a one-time 5% tax on any net worth exceeding $1 billion has yet to collect enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, real estate companies in Florida say the pressure is making Californians consider moving to the Sunshine State.
—Elaine Mallon, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
Opposition parties failed to muster the level of organization and intensity that could rouse the public into pressuring the government.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School, says Trump is pressuring news organizations and universities to address problems with liberal bias.
—Frank Langfitt, NPR, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pressure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressure
Noun
-
As temperature rises, these vibrations intensify, creating a more chaotic, more resistant barrier that paradoxically hardens the metal’s surface against high-speed stress.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
-
For thousands of years, the ginseng root has been used to treat myriad health issues, from respiratory problems and high blood pressure to chronic stress.—
PubSubHub User,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The reality today is human plus machine, operating under budget constraints in flawed institutions, fed by imperfect data.—
Eric Sullivan,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
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At the time, Chapter 11 documents filed on behalf of McGrath stated that despite the strength of the brand, Pat McGrath Labs faced growing financial headwinds in early 2025 including liquidity constraints.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Then a week later, Heraskevych received a wave of sympathetic support when he was forced out of the skeleton for refusing to compete without a helmet adorned with more than 20 elite Ukrainian athletes and coaches who have been killed in the war.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Scottie Barnes won the opening 12-minute game for the Stars with a game-ending 3-pointer in overtime, beating the World 37-36 after Edwards forced OT.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The coating between the pillars peeled away under strain, but the tops of the pillars remained protected.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
There’s been a quiet but persuasive strain of Americana threading through NYFW, not the bombastic, flag-waving kind, but something more intimate and lived-in.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the ethical questions that the case had raised—about the meaning of family and the commodification of children, the tension between reproductive autonomy and contractual compulsion—were left painfully unresolved.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Within a week, the compulsions disappeared.—
J. Aaron Sanders,
STAT,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hearst maintained that she was coerced, but she was convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
16 Feb. 2026
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The state’s prisons unconstitutionally coerced labor by levying severe punishments — including solitary confinement — against prisoners who refused to work, Denver District Court Judge Sarah Wallace found in the 61-page ruling.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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India and Beijing had summit-level engagement despite enduring border tensions along the Himalayan frontier.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The House announcement Thursday afternoon caught the Senate off guard, forcing its leaders to scramble to release their version of the state budget Friday and causing some obvious tension between the two chambers reminiscent of last year’s disputes over tax plans and budget priorities.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fears of intimidation and impersonation Álvarez said the concerns stem from individuals allegedly posing as immigration agents in Dallas neighborhoods.—
Steve Pickett,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
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These measures are vital to maintain public trust, prevent voter intimidation, and ensure that our elections can be administered securely, fairly, and transparently.—
State Rep. Matt Blumenthal,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pressure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressure. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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