peer pressure

American  

[peer presh-er] / ˈpɪər ˈprɛʃ ər /

noun

1. social pressure by members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted.

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peer pressure Cultural  

1. The social influence a peer group exerts on its individual members, as each member attempts to conform to the expectations of the group. (See conformity.)

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Example Sentences

The groups said these features exploit children's "developmental vulnerabilities", particularly around impulse control and peer pressure.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

"It's some form of peer pressure," 24-year-old Haskell Austin tells the BBC.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

If all children are offline, the peer pressure disappears.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Are they a youth or emerging adult under age 25, and therefore more susceptible to peer pressure and impulsive decisionmaking?

From Slate • Dec. 29, 2025

That almost everyone, in the end, fell in line is something that we would normally credit to peer pressure.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell