Macmillan Dictionary

Did you know?

Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word

pressure

 - definition
 
 
 
Close

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Close

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

more
noun British English pronunciation: pressure /ˈpreʃə(r)/ 
Word Forms
Close
singularpressure
pluralpressures
Other entries for this word
  1. 1
    [countable/uncountable] attempts to persuade, threaten, or force someone to do something
    pressure for:

    Pressure for political change increased in the 1990s.

    pressure on someone (to do something):

    There is now greater pressure on the White House to take action.

    be/come under pressure to do something:

    The council is still under pressure to reduce spending.

    under pressure from someone:

    Under pressure from France, Germany has finally dropped its proposals.

    put/exert pressure on someone (to do something):

    He did not put any pressure on her to take the job.

    bring pressure to bear on someone (to do something):

    Officials were bringing pressure to bear on the government to stop the war.

    give in to pressure/bow to pressure (=do what someone is trying to force you to do):

    He would not give in to pressure from his family to come home.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure
  2. 2
    [countable/uncountable] a worried feeling that you get when you have to deal with a difficult or complicated situation
    pressure on:

    The pressure on prison officers is well documented.

    under pressure:

    With greatly increased workloads, everyone is under pressure now.

    stand the pressure (=be able to deal successfully with it):

    If you can't stand the pressure, you should resign.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure
    1. a.
      a problem or situation that causes you to have this worried feeling

      the pressures of modern life

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure
  3. 3
    [uncountable] a force pressing on someone or something

    She became conscious of the pressure of his hand on her shoulder.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure
    1. a.
      [countable/uncountable] physics the amount of force that a gas or liquid produces in an area or container

      atmospheric/air/water pressure

      high/low pressure (=of the air in the atmosphere):

      an area of high pressure over the Atlantic

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure
      See also  blood pressure
  4. 4

    pressures

     [plural] conditions that influence the way that events develop

    The influence in house-building reflects demographic pressures in this part of the country.

    inflationary pressures that may force interest rates to rise

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of pressure

This is the British English definition of pressure. View American English definition of pressure.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

View the pronunciation for pressure.

 

caxirola

a percussion instrument used by football fans which makes a rattling sound when shaken

BuzzWord Article

Word of the Day

glean

to learn small pieces of information by asking questions or watching or listening carefully

Open Dictionary

pierce the corporate veil

… the decision to treat the rights and duties of a company as being the same as the rights and duties of its shareholders

add a word

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog