pressure
noun
pres·sure
| \ Ëpre-shÉr
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Definition of pressure
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: the burden of physical or mental distress
b
: the constraint of circumstance : the weight of social or economic imposition
2
: the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it : compression
4a
: the action of a force against an opposing force
b
: the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its area
5
: the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention : exigency
people who work well under pressure
6
: the force of selection that results from one or more agents and tends to reduce a population of organisms
population pressure predation pressure
7
: the pressure exerted in every direction by the weight of the atmosphere
8
: a sensation aroused by moderate compression of a body part or surface
pressure
verb
pressured;
pressuring\ Ëpre-sh(É-)riĆ
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Definition of pressure (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms for pressure
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Verb
blackjack, coerce, compel, constrain, dragoon, drive, force, impel, impress, make, muscle, obligate, oblige, press, sandbag
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Examples of pressure in a Sentence
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
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Californiaâs law would be the strictest on worker classification in the nation and potentially set a precedent for other states to follow, increasing the pressure on the companies. — Washington Post, "Rideshare, delivery apps pledge $90M California ballot fight," 31 Aug. 2019 Four-yard run by JaTarvious Whitlow and Bo Nixâs first career pass is a throw away after pressure from Deommodore Lenoir. — oregonlive, "Live updates: No. 11 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 16 Auburn Tigers," 31 Aug. 2019 Further increasing pressure on students is the widespread use of private â and often expensive â tutoring. — New York Times, "The Plan to Scrap New Yorkâs Gifted Programs: 5 Takeaways," 27 Aug. 2019 News coverage of conditions at private immigrant detention camps at the border this year has brought nationwide attention to the companies and increased pressure on governments and business interests to cut ties with the industry. — Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, "With growing opposition and slowing prison population growth, what is the future for private prison companies in Colorado?," 25 Aug. 2019 The Iditarod is facing pressure by animal rights groups, who say the race is cruel to dogs. — Mark Thiessen, Anchorage Daily News, "Musher denied entry to 2020 Iditarod disputes race officialsâ concerns over his dog care," 24 Aug. 2019 The police have come under increasing pressure to deal with escalating violence on the part of a very small group of protesters. — The Economist, "Hong Kongâs protest movement will not back down empty-handed," 23 Aug. 2019 The trail of gold shipments has grown cold in recent months as the United States and its allies have increased the pressure on Venezuela and its gold exports. — Vasco Cotovio, CNN, "A trail of 'bloody gold' leads to Venezuela's government," 20 Aug. 2019 That will help buffer the fishery from extended periods of freshwater runoff or extensive fish kills from freezes, habitat loss and steadily increasing fishing pressure. — Shannon Tompkins, ExpressNews.com, "Texas hunters, anglers in for big rule changes," 16 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
That sentiment cut across party lines, the survey found, at a time when the Trump administration is pressuring automakers to go along with its plan to freeze fuel economy standards. — Wired, "A Tesla Security Bug, Levandowski Indicted, and More Car News," 1 Sep. 2019 The Wolverines ran to the ball, pressured MTSU quarterback Asher O'Hara and played tight coverage. — Orion Sang, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan football observations: Offense looks good vs. Middle Tennessee State," 31 Aug. 2019 This isnât the first time an industry has pressured lawmakers to act by dangling the prospect of a long and costly ballot fight. — Washington Post, "Rideshare, delivery apps pledge $90M California ballot fight," 31 Aug. 2019 The company's high debt levels and doubts about the long-term success of its cost cutting efforts could pressure its bonds to weaken further, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts wrote in a note. — Jonathan Roeder, chicagotribune.com, "Kraft Heinz gets warning: Cut debt or bonds will be rated junk," 23 Aug. 2019 Koestlerâs explanation was that the Partyâs abusive appeal to loyalty could pressure anyone to confess to anything. — David Pryce-jones, National Review, "The Cold War of Words," 22 Aug. 2019 Although companies like Robinhood and LendingClub have pressured incumbent financial firms to reduce their fees, crypto proponents argue the financial system itself hasnât changedâat least not yet. — Matthew De Silva, Quartz, "Whatâs behind the buzz about âdecentralized financeâ?," 22 Aug. 2019 Among the findings were that Ecarma pressured athletes to play through injuries, forced them to play outdoors in near-freezing temperatures and made discriminatory jokes about players' ethnicities and women. — Danielle Lerner, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville men's tennis coach bullied and mistreated players, investigation found," 19 Aug. 2019 Later, Chubb bull-rushed Staley and pressured Garoppolo from behind. — Eric Branch, SFChronicle.com, "After studying 49ersâ Joe Staley, Bradley Chubb takes him to school," 19 Aug. 2019These 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.
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