pressing
Americanadjective
noun
-
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
-
demanding immediate attention
-
persistent or importunate
noun
-
a large specified number of gramophone records produced at one time from a master record
-
a component formed in a press
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Lesson 11
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Important
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The officials pressing to raise rates are the more insistent, and a few of them are candidates to dissent if rates stay on hold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The innovation responds to a pressing real-world need, said Femke Maurits, Partnerships Manager at Amref Health Africa, a humanitarian organisation providing health services in African countries.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
"What we're not about is loading something on a machine and pressing a button."
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Place a small oven-safe 3-ounce ramekin in the center of each rectangle, pressing down lightly to create a well.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Drenched, cold, exhausted, he still held on to his nail, but the water pressing him against it allowed him to ease his grip, and it was a relief.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
More important, she had recorded exclusively for the early Paramount label, notorious for its poor recording quality and worse shellac pressings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The first two pressings sold out in just five days via pre-order.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 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.
