pressing
Americanadjective
noun
-
pressings
plural
-
any phonograph record produced in a record-molding press from a master or a stamper.
-
a number of such records produced at one time.
The fifth pressing of his hit song has sold out.
adjective
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demanding immediate attention
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persistent or importunate
noun
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a large specified number of gramophone records produced at one time from a master record
-
a component formed in a press
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football the tactic of trying to stay very close to the opposition when they are in possession of the ball
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of pressing
1300–50; Middle English presing (gerund); see press 1, -ing 2, -ing 1
Explanation
If something's pressing, it's very important and should be taken care of right away. Your French club's most pressing issue might be raising money for the big trip to Montreal. Pressing business needs urgent attention, and pressing problems will turn into disasters if you don't figure out a quick way to solve them. Another meaning of pressing is "the act of exerting a strong pressure," like the pressing of apples into delicious cider. Pressing comes from the verb press, "to push against" or "to squeeze out," and later also "to urge or argue for."
Vocabulary lists containing pressing
Trash
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Lesson 11
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Important
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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.
See Examples For:
Ospreay underwent double-fusion neck surgery to stop his discs pressing into his spinal cord, and is aware he's lucky to have "been given a second chance".
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The question feels more pressing than ever given rising temperatures, heat waves and the fact that chugging water is almost a competitive sport these days.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
"In the more than two years since, we have been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account," the three nations said in a joint statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
"In the more than two years since, we have been pressing for Israel to swiftly and thoroughly consider the case and hold those responsible to account," it said.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The water around them sloshed, pressing against the water magic holding it back.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Sonically improved to levels never before achievable, and accompanied by a lavish and detailed 100-page book, the 5-CD, 118-track boxed set encompasses all of her released sides and a good many outtakes and test pressings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Today, some of those original pressings go for thousands of dollars.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025
When Swift drops an album, there are upward of five different vinyl pressings, all in their own color variant, with edition-specific bonus tracks and other exclusives—and all costing $30-plus each.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2024
The first impression copy is one of only 1,500 original pressings of the fantasy novel - that went on to spawn Tolkien's universe of Middle-Earth .
From BBC ● May 20, 2024
He smelled like cologne and wore an iron-gray three-piece suit, shiny from too many pressings; the gold chain of a pocket watch dangled from his vest.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
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.
