pressure

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noun

pres·sure ˈpre-shər

Synonyms of pressure next

: the burden of physical or mental distress

: the constraint of circumstance : the weight of social or economic imposition

: the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it : compression

archaic : impression, stamp

: the action of a force against an opposing force

: the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its area

: electromotive force

: the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention : exigency

people who work well under pressure

: the force of selection that results from one or more agents and tends to reduce a population of organisms

population pressure

predation pressure

: the pressure exerted in every direction by the weight of the atmosphere

: a sensation aroused by moderate compression of a body part or surface

pressureless adjective

pressure

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verb

pressured; pressuring ˈpre-sh(ə-)riŋ

transitive verb

: to apply pressure to

: pressurize

: to cook in a pressure cooker

Example Sentences

Noun Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. the pressure of the compressed air inside the chamber The animal's jaws can exert a pressure of more than 750 pounds per square inch. The horse will respond to the slightest pressure of a rider's knee. The fruit yields to gentle pressure when it's ripe. the normal air pressure at sea level He gave in to the social pressures to act and dress like everybody else. She felt a constant pressure to earn more money. Verb his father pressured him to go out for the swim team See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This created 100 million-degree plasma under hundreds of billions of atmospheres of pressure—a gas so hot that electrons were freed from atomic nuclei. —

Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2023 With the ongoing race for the league’s draft lottery and a chance to select a generational talent in Connor Bedard, there’s a great deal of pressure for the bottom six teams vying for the best odds. —

Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2023 But what kind of pressure does that put on the rest of the cast and crew? —

Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 28 Feb. 2023 And given you'll only do it once (in theory, at least) there is inevitably a lot of pressure to make this extremely special. —

Leena Kim, Town & Country, 28 Feb. 2023 Once it’s trimmed, peel the backing, and stick it while applying plenty of pressure. —

L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2023 The program in theory takes some of the pressure off of resettlement agencies and puts it in the hands of the American people, with some assistance from the government and refugee agencies. —

Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2023 The offshore weather system is part of a trough pattern, a large area of low pressure. —

Michelle Apon, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Feb. 2023 An approaching area of low pressure brings thickening clouds on Monday with rising rain chances, especially by late afternoon into evening, before a mild and pleasant midweek. —

Molly Robey, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023

Verb

My intention was not to pressure this grandmother to host a shower. —

Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 26 Feb. 2023 My intention was not to pressure this grandmother to host a shower. —

Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Feb. 2023 My intention was not to pressure this grandmother to host a shower. —

Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 26 Feb. 2023 My intention was not to pressure this grandmother to host a shower. —

Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2023 My intention was not to pressure this grandmother to host a shower. —

Amy Dickinson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2023 The Crimson Tide’s gameplan early was to pressure the Sooners to stay in front of them driving to the basket, but Oklahoma stood tall. —

Dallas News, 28 Jan. 2023 The Jaguars’ likely objective is to pressure Mahomes with their defensive linemen while also dropping back into zone coverage on the back end. —

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2023 Primary task for Ferreira or Sargent will be to pressure Hennessey and the Wales back line in possession. —

Frank Dell'apa, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pressure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.