pressure
Americannoun
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pressures
plural
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the exertion of force upon a surface by an object, fluid, etc., in contact with it.
the pressure of earth against a wall.
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Physics. force per unit area. P
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Meteorology. atmospheric pressure.
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Electricity. electromotive force.
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the state of being pressed or compressed.
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harassment; oppression.
the pressures of daily life.
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a constraining or compelling force or influence.
the social pressures of city life;
financial pressure.
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urgency, as of affairs or business.
He works well under pressure.
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Obsolete. that which is impressed.
verb (used with object)
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pressures,
present (3rd person singular)
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pressured,
past participle, past
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pressuring
present participle
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to force (someone) toward a particular end; influence.
They pressured him into accepting the contract.
noun
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the state of pressing or being pressed
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the exertion of force by one body on the surface of another
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a moral force that compels
to bring pressure to bear
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an urgent claim or demand or series of urgent claims or demands
to work under pressure
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a burdensome condition that is hard to bear
the pressure of grief
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p, P. the normal force applied to a unit area of a surface, usually measured in pascals (newtons per square metre), millibars, torr, or atmospheres
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short for atmospheric pressure blood pressure
verb
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(tr) to constrain or compel, as by the application of moral force
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another word for pressurize
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The force per unit area that one region of a gas, liquid, or solid exerts on another. Pressure is usually measured in Pascal units, atmospheres, or pounds per square inch.
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◆ A substance is said to have negative pressure if some other substance exerts more force per unit area on it than vice versa. Its value is simply the negative of the pressure exerted by the other substance.
Discover More
The most familiar measure of pressure is psi (pounds per square inch), used to rate pressure in automobile and bicycle tires.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonpressurenoun
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superpressurenoun
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underpressurenoun
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interpressureadjective
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pressurelessadjective
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unpressuredadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pressuresimple
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pressuressimple
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have pressuredperfect
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has pressuredperfect
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am pressuringprogressive
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are pressuringprogressive
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is pressuringprogressive
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have been pressuringperfect progressive
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has been pressuringperfect progressive
Past
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pressuredsimple
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had pressuredperfect
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was pressuringprogressive
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were pressuringprogressive
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had been pressuringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pressure
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun), from Latin pressūra; see press 1, -ure
Explanation
You feel pressure when something presses on you –- whether a physical force or a stressful situation. If you don't crack under the pressure of witnessing the accident, you will calmly apply pressure on the driver's wound until help arrives. The pressure of a looming deadline might cause you to finally get to work on an assignment. Pressure can also be a verb, like when your friend pressures you to go rock climbing despite your fear of heights. The rocks you would rather not climb were formed long ago by extreme heat and pressure. While climbing, your friend's blood pressure may rise right along with yours when she sees how clumsy you are.
Vocabulary lists containing pressure
Weather and Climate - Introductory
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Plate Tectonics - Middle School
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Weather and Climate - Middle School
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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:
“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
Higher rates will pressure parts of the economy, but the biggest issuers of debt—hyperscalers spending to build AI businesses—remain profitable and maintain strong balance sheets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
“The longer a diesel export ban lasts, the more disruptive it would likely be by putting upward pressure on gasoline prices because diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel are largely produced together,” the strategists said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Bompastor said her side were prepared to "mentally fight" and able to "adjust" to Arsenal's pressure in a way perhaps they didn't last season.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Este doesn’t want to pressure Lou Ann…but what about us?
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
It said concerns from consultations included fears over reduced bookings, shorter stays and reduced visitor spend at a time when local businesses are facing economic pressures.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
What is remarkable is that even with intense economic pressures putting the squeeze on restaurants, Langer’s has not compromised on the quality of its pastrami.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
But meanwhile, the financial pressures are eroding a prized segment of the city’s housing stock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Economists will also look to the data for indications of business confidence and price pressures as the artificial-intelligence boom keeps lifting exports and the Middle East war keeps driving up input costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Too hot meant propellant-tank pressures rising dangerously high; too cold meant radiators freezing.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
He is really pressured to come out and talk about his traumatic experience, and he doesn’t want to.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
So there was pressure on Bonta to make a deal even from his friends, though Bonta told me that “what you call pressure was just noise to me. I never felt pressured in this process.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
That has helped her avoid the stress of elevated rents, but she still feels pressured by rising costs for groceries, gas and other essentials.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
The U.S. dollar rose and gold fell on Tuesday, as the potential for higher interest rates strengthened the greenback and pressured the yellow metal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
It wasn’t something he could volunteer for, though she guessed he would have done so eagerly; she had pressured him, or tempted him.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Companies say they are committing to paying for these upgrades, and the Trump administration is pressuring them to fully cover those costs, but it remains to be seen how these complicated deals will play out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
The margin that oil refiners demand for producing gasoline, heating oil and diesel has been rising to historic highs, pressuring for one prices of petroleum products used by U.S. consumers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
"Leaving today, I'm quite clear what I need to do in the next few weeks," he said following his official visit to Ukraine on Monday, during which he promised to continue pressuring Russia.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
Investors are defying the Treasury Department’s attempts to curb borrowing costs, sending yields higher and pressuring data-center hyperscalers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
In England, foreign secretary Anthony Eden said he “deeply regretted” the news, and then set about pressuring the French not to overreact.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
