high-pressure
Americanadjective
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having or involving a pressure above the normal.
high-pressure steam.
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vigorous; persistent; aggressive.
high-pressure salesmanship.
verb (used with object)
adjective
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having, using, involving, or designed to withstand a pressure above normal pressure
a high-pressure gas
a high-pressure cylinder
-
informal (of selling) persuasive in an aggressive and persistent manner
Etymology
Origin of high-pressure
First recorded in 1815–25
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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.
Trying to solve Belgium was more difficult than solving Paraguay and the high-pressure, must-win situation of an elimination game against the No. 8 team in the world — and it clearly unsettled the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2026
The listing agent notes that the property is particularly well-suited to those who work in high-pressure environments—and seek a sanctuary to return to at the end of the day.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
Before taking the position, Sato said a weak yen would be broadly positive for the Japanese economy and wrote a chapter for a book about the high-pressure economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
Across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and southern England, temperatures are reaching 5–12°C above seasonal averages, driven by a persistent high-pressure system, scientists at World Weather Attribution said on Friday, external.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
News of Savery’s engine reached the landgrave of Hesse, and Papin was put to work devising a high-pressure steam pump.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
