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View synonyms for pressure

pressure

[ presh-er ]

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 Compare stress ( def 6 ).
  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.


verb (used with object)

, pres·sured, pres·sur·ing.
  1. to force (someone) toward a particular end; influence:

    They pressured him into accepting the contract.

pressure

/ 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. the normal force applied to a unit area of a surface, usually measured in pascals (newtons per square metre), millibars, torr, or atmospheres pP


verb

  1. tr to constrain or compel, as by the application of moral force
  2. another word for pressurize

pressure

/ prĕshər /

  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.


pressure

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


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Notes

The most familiar measure of pressure is psi (pounds per square inch), used to rate pressure in automobile and bicycle tires.

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Derived Forms

  • ˈpressureless, adjective

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Other Words From

  • pressure·less adjective
  • inter·pressure adjective
  • non·pressure noun adverb
  • super·pressure noun adjective
  • under·pressure noun
  • un·pressured adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pressure1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun), from Latin pressūra; press 1, -ure

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Word History and Origins

Origin of pressure1

C14: from Late Latin pressūra a pressing, from Latin premere to press

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Example Sentences

However, according to Brindis, “The pressure has not met the threat in terms of magnitude.”

From Vox

The pressure is on for Democrats and Republicans to find a solution before Congress breaks in October.

From Fortune

Here’s a building block that is currently under a lot of pressure, as channels are shifting after the pandemic.

With pressure from the Gang Commission’s ad hoc committee headed by Genevieve Jones-Wright, Stephan went on record stating 332 names were removed from her office’s injunctions.

The aforementioned Kaiser poll found that 61% of Americans are worried the FDA will rush to approve a vaccine due to political pressure.

From Fortune

Are you seeing more commercial pressure from academic presses for historians to sexy it up a bit?

Like Sony Entertainment's The Interview, political pressure delayed the arrivale of foreign films in Korea.

The 2014 midterm elections are just months behind us, but already Flake feels the pressure of the 2016 presidential elections.

Therefore, some Democrats are under pressure to take policy actions their union allies oppose.

Does any of that come from being attuned to the pressure of that need to entertain?

He held it, but it was without pressure; without recognizance of the delight with which he once grasped it.

Under the internal pressure his whiskers stood on end and his face grew red.

With him one is at high pressure all the time, and I have gained a good many more ideas from him than I can work up in a hurry.

Mr. Brown seizes the proffered member, and gives it as hearty a pressure as the publicity of the occasion will permit.

This may be done by taking the humming tone and bringing to bear upon it a strong pressure of energy.

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press-uppressure altimeter