pressing

adjective

press·​ing ˈpre-siŋ How to pronounce pressing (audio)
1
: urgently important : critical
a pressing issue
2
pressingly adverb

Examples of pressing in a Sentence

a pressing need for reform she had pressing business on the other side of town
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Defensive tackle and cornerback are the most pressing issues heading into the rest of the week. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025 Map your communications in a quadrant to address the most pressing questions from the onset. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 The president has consistently requested more air defenses, an issue now more pressing amid the U.S. aid freeze. David Brennan, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2025 But the meeting was unlikely to address Ukraine’s most pressing needs. Raf Casert and Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pressing

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pressing was in 1591

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Cite this Entry

“Pressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pressing. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

pressing

adjective
press·​ing ˈpres-iŋ How to pronounce pressing (audio)
: needing one's immediate attention
a pressing issue
pressingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on pressing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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