pressure 1 of 2

noun

ˈpre-shər How to pronounce pressure (audio)
Definition of pressurenext
1
as in stress
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time a business executive who works well under pressure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in constraint
the use of power to impose one's will on another pressure from their peers can often cause teens to do things that they normally wouldn't consider

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pressure

2 of 2

verb

as in to force
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure his father pressured him to go out for the swim team

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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 pressure
Noun
The closure reflects wider pressures facing London’s commercial art sector, including a slower market, rising costs, and changing collecting habits that have hit smaller galleries particularly hard. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 But even with that safeguard in place, paying for medications can still put significant pressure on retirees and others living on limited incomes. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
Niewiadoma-Phinney had it all to do on the final climb, especially with her rival sitting on her wheel, and was unable to pressure Vollering. — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026 In the early 2010s, for example, Washington leveraged various jurisdictional advantages to cut Iran off from oil markets and global banking, pressuring it into negotiations. — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pressure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressure
  1. stress
  2. constraint
  3. force
  4. strain
  5. compulsion
  6. coerce
  7. tension
  8. intimidation
Noun
  • Kash says they are packed with antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids to neutralize free radicals that cause stress and inflammation and help with boosting your immune system overall.
    — Marie Bladt, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The company conducts saliva testing for professional sports teams, providing analysis on dozens of biomarkers that touch immunology, inflammation, sleep, hydration, psychological stress and more.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stress
Noun
  • Meanwhile, teaching assistants were eventually eliminated due to budget constraints.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Focus Is About More Than Capital Industrial strategy is often discussed in financial terms, but money is only one constraint.
    — Alex Krutz, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of constraint
Verb
  • Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, was forced to roll out a second artificial surface after the World Cup because its first attempt didn’t pass an independent lab test as required by the NFL and NFLPA.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The champion faced a challenging opponent, as Garry forced him to work hard for seven takedowns and inflicted some facial damage.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of force
Noun
  • The incident was due to an engineering failure aboard the warship, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement to CNN, another setback as concerns mount over the heavy strain on the US Navy due to the Iran war and global commitments.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Labor Day-to-Memorial Day schedule would also ease the summertime strain on the electric grid because schools wouldn’t have to crank up their air conditioners for as long to keep hundreds of students and teachers cool, Patterson argued.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • Which is exactly why leaders should be suspicious of their own streaks, especially the ones that started out fun and are creeping toward compulsion.
    — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Trying to understand that inner compulsion — not to name names — became the starting point.
    — John Bleasdale, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of compulsion
Verb
  • Attorney Jesse Dreicer suggested Tenon made false statements and his confession to the shooting was coerced.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Shuter also pointed out that Pitt was clearly not coerced into talking about his drinking by a pushy magazine writer.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of coerce
Noun
  • Rising interfaith tensions and crime have driven many of the area’s Christians to emigrate, several said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Debbie intervenes to defuse the tension, then gets distracted by the presence of her nemesis, Cha Cha.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • Carro’s anonymity order is designed to protect jurors from possible harassment and intimidation efforts.
    — Adam Reiss, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Military intimidation continues, but China is also waging a battle over language, law, and international legitimacy.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of intimidation

Phrases Containing pressure

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pressmen
pressure
pressure-cook
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Cite this Entry

“Pressure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressure. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pressure

Nglish: Translation of pressure for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pressure

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