PRESSING Synonyms: 269 Similar and Opposite Words

pressing 1 of 3

adjective

ˈpre-siŋ

Definition of pressing next

as in urgent

needing immediate attention she had pressing business on the other side of town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pressing

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of press

as in seizing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

pressing

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of press

as in shoving

to push steadily against with some force an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in squeezing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in huddling

to gather into a closely packed group everyone pressed around me to see the pictures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pushing

to force one's way we continued to press deeper and deeper into the tangled rain forest

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in forcing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in urging

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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as in highlighting

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 pressing

Adjective

My district’s three most pressing issues are its high cost of living, an underfunded education system and clashes with the federal government over immigration enforcement. —

Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 Both of the Current’s goals were directly out of counter-pressing moments. —

Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026

Verb

Listen to the full conversation by pressing the play button in the blue box above. —

Steve Inskeep, NPR, 14 May 2026 Education reformers who had been pressing politicians and the education establishment to do something about the mediocre — at best — levels of academic achievement of California’s schools generally supported the concept, except for one aspect. —

Dan Walters, Mercury News, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pressing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressing

Adjective

That argument has a quietly urgent edge.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 May 2026
That mission became increasingly urgent through the Parents' Network, an initiative created to support families whose children have been harmed by social media platforms and to connect them with others going through similar situations.

— Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026