Meaning & use
pressure
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Meanings
noununcountablephysics
A pushing force applied to a surface, or the amount of that force over an area.
Grammar: Measured in units like bar or psi.
Patterns
- pressure on something
Check the tire pressure.
Apply gentle pressure to the cut.
Water pressure is low.
noununcountable
Stress from demands or expectations.
Grammar: Often under pressure.
Patterns
- under pressure
- pressure to do something
She works well under pressure.
There is pressure on students to succeed.
He felt the pressure.
noununcountable
Persuasion to make someone act in a certain way.
Grammar: With on or from.
Patterns
- pressure from someone
- put pressure on someone
The union put pressure on management.
He gave in to pressure from friends.
verbtransitive
To try to force someone to do something.
Grammar: pressure someone into doing something.
Patterns
- pressure someone into something
- pressure someone to do something
Don't let them pressure you into signing.
She felt pressured to agree.
Word forms
| plural | pressures |
|---|---|
| third person singular | pressures |
| past tense | pressured |
| past participle | pressured |
| -ing form | pressuring |
Common combinations
- under pressure
- He stays calm under pressure.
- peer pressure
- Peer pressure affects teens.
- blood pressure
- Check your blood pressure.
- put pressure on
- They put pressure on the mayor.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- pressurize verb
- to raise pressure
- pressured adjective
- under stress
Commonly confused: pressure or pressurize?
pressure vs pressurize
Pressurize means keep air at high pressure, as in a plane cabin.
Practice
The salesman tried to ___ me into buying the extended warranty.
Choose one answer.
Pressure someone into means force them to do it. The infinitive is needed after tried to.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pressure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.