as in interests
a group of people with a common identifying interest that they seek to protect and promote
observed that if publishers gave in to every pressure group, nothing would ever get published
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of pressure groups
The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security.
—
Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Cosseted by favorable districts and incumbent fundraising advantages, the majority caters mostly to pressure groups — especially socially conservative ones — that influence Republican primaries.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Johnson is calling for coordinated national efforts led by mayors and state governments, in concert with public pressure groups and local residents, to combat the actions by ICE, the Border Patrol and other federal authorities.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
At the same time, pressure groups worked hard to get younger, more YIMBY legislators elected.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Nearly 72% of censorship attempts in 2024 were initiated by pressure groups and decision makers who have been swayed by them.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Trevor Jackson, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Cosseted by favorable districts and incumbent fundraising advantages, the majority caters mostly to pressure groups — especially socially conservative ones — that influence Republican primaries.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Johnson is calling for coordinated national efforts led by mayors and state governments, in concert with public pressure groups and local residents, to combat the actions by ICE, the Border Patrol and other federal authorities.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
At the same time, pressure groups worked hard to get younger, more YIMBY legislators elected.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Nearly 72% of censorship attempts in 2024 were initiated by pressure groups and decision makers who have been swayed by them.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressure groups
Noun
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Hancock, instead, said Kansas Citians could ultimately benefit from having three representatives advocating for their interests in Congress.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Vance appears poised to stand at the crossroads of those varying interests.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Critics of the legislation have called the unelected board undemocratic, fearing that whichever interest groups could influence the mayor could drive the future of Indianapolis public education.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
27 Mar. 2026
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Hollywood players, Wall Streeters, public interest groups guilds and lawmakers will know, definitively, where to direct their fire.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Super PACs and other outside groups aligned with special interests pumped more than $50 million into congressional and state races during this primary.—
Alisa Kaplan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Candidates sniped at each other — though rarely by name — for being too rich, too beholden to special interests or for voting in the past in support of ICE and border wall funding.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pressure groups.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressure%20groups. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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