pressure cooker

noun

1

: an airtight utensil for quick cooking or preserving of foods by means of high-temperature steam under pressure

2

: a situation or environment that is fraught with emotional or social pressures

pressure-cook verb

Examples of pressure cooker in a Sentence

The new boss has turned the office into a pressure cooker.

Recent Examples on the Web

What was once a foregone conclusion starts to feel like a pressure cooker. —Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2025

As the pressure cooker’s waft of steam floats through the air at the Overtown center, everyone hurries to taste the soup. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025

In a pressure cooker or saucepan, combine the moong dal and 1 cup of water. —The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025

The mixture is then transferred to a pressure cooker with plenty of water, allowing the meat to soften and release its essence into the broth. —Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pressure cooker

• booker
• looker
• rooker
• snooker
• onlooker

Kids Definition

pressure cooker

noun

: a utensil for cooking or preserving foods by means of steam under pressure

pressure-cook

ˌpresh-ər-ˈku̇k

verb