compress
verb (used with object)
to press together; force into less space.
compressing
-
present participleof compress.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Needless to say, there’s a lot going on in Butler’s busy, occasionally dizzying script, though compressing the approximately 550-page source material was surely no easy task.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
“She developed pleural effusion — fluid between the lungs and ribs — compressing her lungs and making it hard for her to breathe.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
“As U.S. diesel stocks near storage limits, downward pressure on diesel prices would intensify, compressing U.S. refining margins, and likely incentivize U.S. refiners to reduce output,” the team wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Winds can force floes farther north and push them into other ice, compressing the overall area covered by sea ice.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
He killed me at the Scrabble board, barely concentrating, and on those occasions when speech was necessary he had a way of compressing large thoughts into small, cryptic packets of language.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
