high-pressure
Americanadjective
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having or involving a pressure above the normal.
high-pressure steam.
-
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
Compare meaning
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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.
The work is exacting, isolating, high-pressure—and often takes a steep toll.
Plan something around a shared interest, like soccer or baseball, where they’re enjoying the sport together and they don’t have to sit and talk in a high-pressure way — they can just have fun.
From Los Angeles Times
He presented the vast military buildup in the Persian Gulf as a high-pressure negotiating tactic in the short-lived bargaining sessions over Iran’s nuclear enrichment.
From Salon
A strong, slow-moving high-pressure system - often called a heat dome - is trapping hot air over the region, pushing temperatures 20–30F above normal in parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona.
From BBC
Ruth, a fashion designer who quits the high-pressure world to become a teacher, acts as a contrast to the hustle culture-inspired ambitions of wannabe billionaire Becket, Henwick says.
From BBC
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.
