pressed 1 of 3

adjective

as in squeezed

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pressed

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of press
as in seized
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right the fleeing bank robber pressed a nearby taxi into service as a getaway car

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pressed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of press
1
as in shoved
to push steadily against with some force an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard

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2
as in crushed
to apply external pressure on so as to force out the juice or contents of my family will only drink juice from freshly pressed oranges

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3
as in huddled
to gather into a closely packed group everyone pressed around me to see the pictures

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pushed
to force one's way we continued to press deeper and deeper into the tangled rain forest

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5
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure a manager pressed by a business crisis to return from his vacation ahead of schedule

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in urged
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action pressed us to go with them to the school board meeting

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in emphasized
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on an office e-mail that presses the need for greater vigilance concerning building security

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pressed
Adjective
In the kitchen, his reputation is impeccable; he’s known for bringing authentic Venetian cooking to a region hard-pressed to find it. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 But even those people who dislike the very existence of private schools in big cities would be hard-pressed to make the case that the entire sector collectively makes up a torture chamber. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 Anyone who had come to the Hill hoping to gain insights into the American-history museum’s actual philosophy or operations would have been hard-pressed to find them. — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Food and drink You’ll be hard-pressed to find more atmospheric places to eat in Bloomsbury than at Ottie’s Salon. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026 With Spain’s elite defense controlling the pace, France will be hard-pressed to make a comeback in the final half-hour. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026 The pressed setting powder smooths, blurs, and evens out mature skin. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 6 July 2026 Not all fashions from the Roman Empire stand up to present scrutiny—you’d be hard pressed to find a toga worn anywhere but a frat party, for instance. — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 22 June 2026 In heat waves, Aid stations could be hard-pressed to manage everyone affected. — Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Verb
For a few centimeters, one of your body’s main electrical cables runs just under the skin, pressed against bone. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Those in black tops pressed the reds, then the yellow tops pressed the black tops before the red tops pressed the yellows. — James Pearce, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 During a campaign stop at the Roost, a Detroit coffee shop, Stevens was pressed by Woodbridge neighborhood president Jai Singletary on her support for Israel and AIPAC's spending to boost her. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026 The flesh should change from translucent to mostly opaque and flake easily when gently pressed with a fork. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 1 Aug. 2026 Finally, Op-Fortitude’s representative pressed Netflix to return the screener immediately. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed the United States and other Western partners over Ukraine’s need for more Patriot anti-ballistic missile defense systems to counter missile attacks from Russia. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown on top, the bread starts to pull away from the side, and the center is springy and set when pressed gently with your finger. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 30 July 2026 The sliced eggplant was pressed to remove the liquid, creating drier steaks to fry. — Lucy Gillmore, Travel + Leisure, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressed
  1. crushed
  2. seized
  3. shoved
  4. squeezed
  5. huddled
  6. pushed
  7. compelled
  8. urged
Adjective
  • Pour into a tall glass, fill with more crushed ice, and top with the sherry.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The architects used building materials like bricks made of crushed sand and ash residue that have been found to be effective insulators, deflecting heat.
    — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of crushed
Verb
  • His critics seized on the decision as an example of financial mismanagement, although the building was used as collateral under former party chairs as well.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • For years, where others have seen voids with Heat rosters, Spoelstra has seen opportunities seized by the likes of Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and others who have contributed to Heat runs to the NBA Finals.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of seized
Verb
  • Rhodes escaped and shoved Punk shoulder-first into the steel ring steps.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The victim, 60-year-old Shukur Aikebaer, was taken during a power outage, shoved into a Nissan Altima trunk as his wife and daughter remained inside.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of shoved
Verb
  • Denmark is being squeezed from both sides of the NATO alliance.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Space food is changing Early astronauts squeezed puréed food from tubes.
    — Sundeep Venkatesan, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • The seats were filled with families and friends all huddled underneath the shade of umbrellas to enjoy an afternoon ice cream.
    — Hali Smith August 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Camp David is also where Carter huddled in 1979 with representatives of a cross-section of American society.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of huddled
Verb
  • The toxic environment eventually pushed Jagetz to her breaking point.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • That is, until the defense brought pressure and star defensive lineman Zach Sieler pushed past the rookie offensive lineman with ease and got to Malik Willis before the shifty quarterback could make a move.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushed
Verb
  • The government was also compelled to conduct a fresh cultural and environmental impact assessment as well as public participation.
    — Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 31 July 2026
  • The Eagles could live with four at this spot, though, and I might be compelled to go with an extra cornerback or wide receiver rather than a fifth linebacker who could clear waivers.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of compelled
Verb
  • Lawmakers and advocates urged assemblymembers Monday to pass a bill that would formalize data collection for frontotemporal degeneration.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As International Allyship Day approaches, organizations are urged to embed inclusion as a continuous cultural heartbeat, moving beyond performative gestures.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of urged

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Cite this Entry

“Pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressed. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pressed for Spanish Speakers

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