pressure point
nounDefinition of pressure point
1a
: an area on the body sensitive to pressure: such as
(1)
: a discrete point on the body that when pressed causes pain
The technique involves using pressure points along the jaw to cause pain and induce temporary paralysis of the jaw.— Margaret Harding
(2)
: a point on the body to which pressure is applied (as in acupressure or reflexology) for therapeutic purposes
… an ancient Chinese art and science that uses pressure points in the feet and hands to relax and revitalize the entire body. — Vogue
b
: a point on the body where a blood vessel (such as the femoral artery) can be compressed against an underlying bone to slow blood flow and control bleeding
… begin controlling bleeding by pressing on pressure points or by applying tourniquets.— Shakava Andres
c
: a region of the body where a static position tends to cause circulatory deficiency and the development of bedsores
Pressure points of the human body when lying down in bed receive poor blood circulation, which causes the sore.— Mike Cote
2
: a sensitive critical issue or matter that can be exploited for one's advantage
political pressure points
Examples of pressure point in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
European officials have warned Iran privately and publicly not to use the nuclear deal limits as pressure points. — Gordon Lubold, WSJ, "Iran to Breach Limits of Nuclear Pact, as U.S. to Send More Troops to Mideast," 17 June 2019 Kárpátia, who have been banned from performing in most of Hungary’s neighboring countries, have written songs addressing almost every pressure point of nationalist Hungarian nostalgia. — Jacob Mikanowski, Harper's magazine, "The Call of the Drums," 21 July 2019 For Washington, Hong Kong has emerged as the latest potential pressure point in the standoff with the world’s second-largest economy. — Time, "Hong Kong Is a Rebel Enclave in a Sea of Totalitarianism. Welcome to the New West Berlin," 28 June 2019 Starting at $1,299 (twin) to $2,199 (California King), its design features layers of New Zealand wool, organic cotton, and steel coils, all tufted together for an ergonomic sleep focused on relieving pressure points on the body. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "7 New Online Mattress Companies That Want To Sweeten Your Dreams," 15 Feb. 2019 Such challenges create another pressure point on Tehran alongside antigovernment protests focused on economic troubles renewed with the Trump administration’s withdrawal from a nuclear deal that gave Iran a reprieve from sanctions. — Isabel Coles And Ali Nabhan, WSJ, "Iranian Groups Press for Rights—and Tehran Hits Back," 1 Oct. 2018 The growing Russian competition is one more pressure point threatening American farming, which is facing the biggest wave of farm closures in the U.S. since the 1980s. — James Marson, WSJ, "Struggling U.S. Farmers Worry About a Resurgent Russia," 23 Sep. 2018 Some analysts worry the latter may prove to be a particularly big pressure point for small caps in the next couple of years. — Akane Otani, WSJ, "Small Caps Become Latest Winning Trade to Collapse," 15 Oct. 2018 According the acupuncturists, one of the useful pressure points on your body can be found on your hand, located on the webbed area between your thumb and forefinger. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "Why Do Couples Hold Hands?," 4 Jan. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pressure point.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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