pressure

American  

[presh-er] / ˈprɛʃ ər /

noun

1. the exertion of force upon a surface by an object, fluid, etc., in contact with it.

   the pressure of earth against a wall.

2. Physics. force per unit area. P

3. Meteorology. atmospheric pressure.

4. Electricity. electromotive force.

5. the state of being pressed or compressed.

6. harassment; oppression.

   the pressures of daily life.

7. a constraining or compelling force or influence.

   the social pressures of city life;

   financial pressure.

8. urgency, as of affairs or business.

   He works well under pressure.

9. Obsolete. that which is impressed.

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verb (used with object)

pressures, present (3rd person singular) pressured, past participle, past pressuring present participle

1. to force (someone) toward a particular end; influence.

   They pressured him into accepting the contract.

2. pressurize.

pressure British  

/ ˈprɛʃə /

noun

1. the state of pressing or being pressed

2. the exertion of force by one body on the surface of another

3. a moral force that compels

   to bring pressure to bear

4. an urgent claim or demand or series of urgent claims or demands

   to work under pressure

5. a burdensome condition that is hard to bear

   the pressure of grief

6.  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

7. short for atmospheric pressure blood pressure

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verb

1. (tr) to constrain or compel, as by the application of moral force

2. another word for pressurize

pressure Scientific  

/ prĕsh′ər /

1. 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.

2. ◆ 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.

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pressure Cultural  

1. The force exerted on a given area. (See atmospheric pressure.)

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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

• superpressure
  noun
• nonpressure
  noun
• pressureless
  adjective
• interpressure
  adjective
• underpressure
  noun
• unpressured
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has pressured
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have pressured
  perfect
• am pressuring
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been pressuring
  perfect progressive
• pressuring
  participle
• has been pressuring
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is pressuring
  progressive 3rd person singular
• are pressuring
  progressive
• pressures
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had pressured
  perfect
• were pressuring
  progressive plural
• pressured
  participle
• pressured
  simple
• had been pressuring
  perfect progressive
• was pressuring
  progressive singular

Future

• will pressure
  simple
• will have pressured
  perfect
• will be pressuring
  progressive
• will have been pressuring
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

Chief Executive Mick Beekhuizen said the company’s results were in line with its expectations but remained under pressure, pointing to soft sales as well as pressure on its margins from inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

But under pressure from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, as well as dozens of Labour MPs, the government launched a public consultation on a ban in March.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

But the latest pressure from higher oil prices comes at a point when inflation has already been running above the Fed’s 2% target for more than five years.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

But the Kospi index lost 5.5% in Friday’s trading, as the artificial-intelligence trade broadly came under pressure, and it’s off another 6.1% early in Monday’s action.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Rocks in the asthenosphere are under so much pressure that they move in and out of solid form—sometimes they are solid rocks, sometimes liquid magma.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

Related Words

• adversity
• burden
• constraint
• force
• hardship
• heat
• influence
• power
• strain
• stress
• tension
• trouble
• weight