Standard Lemma guide

pressure

noun · verb · 18 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɛʃə/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈphɹwɛʃ.ə]
  • Singapore: /ˈpɹɛʒə/
  • General-American: /ˈpɹɛʃɚ/
  • General-American: [ˈphɹwɛʃ.ɚ] ~ [ˈphɹwɛʃ.ɹ̩]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛʃə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: P R EH1 SH ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pressing; a force applied to a surface.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The amount of force that is applied over a given area divided by the size of this area; force per unit area.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An amount of pressure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A contrasting force or impulse of any kind.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • the pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Distress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • She has felt pressure lately because her boss expects her to get the job done by the first.
  • October 31, 1708, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the Queen at St. James's In the midst of his great troubles and pressures.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

Urgency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • the pressure of business

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Ellipsis of blood pressure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: India, abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Impression; stamp; character impressed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To encourage or heavily exert force or influence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Do not let anyone pressure you into buying something you do not want.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he gave the button a press
  • he used pressure to stop the bleeding
  • at the pressing of a button

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: press, pressing

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: push, pushing

Narrower terms: impression, compression, compressing

11

noun

Meaning 11

a force that compels

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the public brought pressure to bear on the government

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: force

12

noun

Meaning 12

the somatic sensation that results from applying force to an area of skin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the sensitivity of his skin to pressure and temperature was normal

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pressure sensation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: somesthesia, somaesthesia, somatesthesia, somatic sensation

13

noun

Meaning 13

the pressure exerted by the atmosphere

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: atmospheric pressure, air pressure

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gas pressure

Narrower terms: barometric pressure, compartment pressure, overpressure, sea-level pressure

14

noun

Meaning 14

the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the compressed gas exerts an increased pressure

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pressure level, force per unit area

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: physical phenomenon

Narrower terms: blood pressure, gas pressure, head, hydrostatic head, intraocular pressure, IOP, oil pressure, osmotic pressure, radiation pressure, corpuscular-radiation pressure, sound pressure, instantaneous sound pressure, suction, vapor pressure, vapour pressure

15

noun

Meaning 15

the state of demanding notice or attention

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the insistence of their hunger
  • the press of business matters

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: imperativeness, insistence, insistency, press

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: urgency

16

noun

Meaning 16

an oppressive condition of physical or mental or social or economic distress

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: distress

17

verb

Meaning 17

to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She forced him to take a job in the city
  • He squeezed her for information

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: coerce, hale, squeeze, force

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: compel, oblige, obligate

Narrower terms: turn up the heat, turn up the pressure, drive, bludgeon, steamroller, steamroll, squeeze for, dragoon, sandbag, railroad, terrorize, terrorise, bring oneself

18

verb

Meaning 18

exert pressure on someone through threats

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blackmail, blackjack

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: influence, act upon, work

History

Etymology

From Latin pressūra.

Across languages

Translations

180 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ضَغْط (ḍaḡṭ) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Azerbaijani: təzyiq — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Azerbaijani: basqı — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Bashkir: баҫым (baśım) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Belarusian: на́ціск (nácisk) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Bulgarian: наля́гане (naljágane) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Catalan: pressió — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Finnish: paine — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Finnish: puristus — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • French: pression — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Galician: presión — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Georgian: წნევა (c̣neva) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Georgian: წნეხა (c̣nexa) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • German: Druck — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Greek: πίεση (píesi) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Hebrew: לחץ \ לַחַץ (lákhats) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Hindi: दबाव (dabāv) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Hindi: दाब (dāb) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Hungarian: nyomás — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Italian: pressione — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Japanese: 圧力 (atsuryoku) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Northern Kurdish: pesto — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Latin: pressūra — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Latin: pressiō — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Latin: nīsus — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Latin: nīxus — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Latvian: spiediens — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Māori: pēhanga — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Plautdietsch: Druck — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Polish: nacisk — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Polish: ucisk — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Polish: napór — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Portuguese: pressão — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Russian: давле́ние (davlénije) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Russian: нажи́м (nažím) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Spanish: presión — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Swedish: tryck — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Tagalog: bunto — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Ukrainian: тиск (tysk) — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Welsh: pwysedd — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Welsh: gwasgedd — a pressing; force applied to a surface
  • Azerbaijani: təzyiq — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Bashkir: баҫым (baśım) — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Bulgarian: наля́гане (naljágane) — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Catalan: pressió — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Finnish: taakka — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Finnish: paine — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Galician: presión — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • German: Druck — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Italian: spinta — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Japanese: 圧力 (atsuryoku) — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Norwegian Bokmål: påtrykk — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: påtrykk — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Polish: presja — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Polish: przymus — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Portuguese: pressão — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Spanish: presión — a contrasting force or impulse of any kind
  • Albanian: trysni — mental strain
  • Armenian: ճնշում (čnšum) — mental strain
  • Bashkir: баҫым (baśım) — mental strain
  • Belarusian: на́ціск (nácisk) — mental strain
  • Bengali: তাল (tal) — mental strain
  • Bulgarian: притесне́ние (pritesnénie) — mental strain
  • Chinese Mandarin: 壓力 /压力 (yālì) — mental strain
  • Czech: tlak — mental strain
  • Finnish: paine — mental strain
  • Finnish: stressi — mental strain
  • Galician: presión — mental strain
  • German: Druck — mental strain
  • Greek: πίεση (píesi) — mental strain
  • Hindi: तनाव (tanāv) — mental strain
  • Italian: pressione — mental strain
  • Italian: impellenza — mental strain
  • Italian: urgenza — mental strain
  • Italian: tensione — mental strain
  • Japanese: 重圧 (jūatsu) — mental strain
  • Japanese: プレッシャー (puresshā) — mental strain
  • Korean: 중압 (jung'ap) — mental strain
  • Latin: nīsus — mental strain
  • Latin: nīxus — mental strain
  • Macedonian: притисок (pritisok) — mental strain
  • Macedonian: пресија (presija) — mental strain
  • Plautdietsch: Druck — mental strain
  • Polish: nacisk — mental strain
  • Portuguese: pressão — mental strain
  • Russian: давле́ние (davlénije) — mental strain
  • Russian: напряже́ние (naprjažénije) — mental strain
  • Scottish Gaelic: èiginn — mental strain
  • Spanish: presión — mental strain
  • Swedish: press — mental strain
  • Telugu: ఒత్తిడి (ottiḍi) — mental strain
  • Turkish: baskı — mental strain
  • Ukrainian: тиск (tysk) — mental strain
  • Albanian: presion — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Arabic: ضَغْط (ḍaḡṭ) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Armenian: ճնշում (čnšum) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Azerbaijani: təzyiq — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Bashkir: баҫым (baśım) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Basque: presio — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Belarusian: на́ціск (nácisk) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Belarusian: ціск (cisk) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Bengali: চাপ (cap) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Bulgarian: наля́гане (naljágane) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Burmese: ဖိအား (hpi.a:) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Catalan: pressió — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Chinese Mandarin: 壓力 /压力 (yālì) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Czech: tlak — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Danish: tryk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Dutch: druk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Esperanto: premo — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Estonian: rõhk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Finnish: paine — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • French: pression — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Galician: presión — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Georgian: წნევა (c̣neva) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • German: Druck — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Greek: πίεση (píesi) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Greenlandic: naqitsineq — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Hindi: दाब (dāb) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Hindi: दबाव (dabāv) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Hungarian: nyomás — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Hungarian: levegőnyomás — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Indonesian: tekanan — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Italian: pressione — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Japanese: 圧力 (atsuryoku) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Kazakh: қысым (qysym) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Khmer: សម្ពាធ (sɑɑsɑmpiət) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Korean: 압력 (amnyeok) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Northern Kurdish: pesto — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Kyrgyz: басым (basım) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Lao: ຄວາມກົດ (khuām kot) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Latvian: spiediens — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Lithuanian: slėgis — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Macedonian: притисок (pritisok) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Malay: tekanan — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Māori: pēhanga — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Mongolian: даралт (daralt) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Norwegian Bokmål: trykk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: trykk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Iranian Persian: فِشار (fešâr) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Polish: ciśnienie — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Portuguese: pressão — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Romanian: presiune — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Russian: давле́ние (davlénije) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Serbo-Croatian: прѝтисак — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Serbo-Croatian: тла̑к — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Serbo-Croatian: prìtisak — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Serbo-Croatian: tlȃk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Slovak: tlak — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Slovene: pritisk — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Spanish: presión — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Swedish: tryck — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Tagalog: diin — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Tagalog: bunto — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Tagalog: presyon — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Tajik: фишор (fišor) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Tatar: басым (basım) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Telugu: పీడనము (pīḍanamu) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Telugu: ఒత్తిడి (ottiḍi) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Thai: ความกด (kwaam-gòt) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Turkish: basınç — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Turkmen: basyş — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Ukrainian: тиск (tysk) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Urdu: دَباؤ (dabāo) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Urdu: فِشار (fiśār) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Uyghur: بېسىم (bësim) — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Uzbek: bosim — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Uzbek: tazyiq — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Vietnamese: áp lực — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Welsh: gwasgedd — physics: amount of force divided by area
  • Bulgarian: упражнявам натиск (upražnjavam natisk) — exert force or influence
  • Catalan: pressionar — exert force or influence
  • Finnish: painostaa — exert force or influence
  • Galician: premer — exert force or influence
  • Galician: calcar — exert force or influence
  • German: unter Druck setzen — exert force or influence
  • Italian: fare pressione — exert force or influence
  • Latin: opprimō — exert force or influence
  • Spanish: presionar — exert force or influence
  • Thai: กดดัน (gòt-dan) — exert force or influence
Real reading context

pressure in complete knowledge articles