pressurize

verb

pres·​sur·​ize ˈpre-shə-ˌrīz 

pressurized; pressurizing

transitive verb

1

: to confine the contents of under a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere

especially : to maintain near-normal atmospheric pressure in during high-altitude or spaceflight (as by means of a supercharger)

2

: to apply pressure to

3

: to design to withstand pressure

pressurization

ˌpre-sh(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

pressurizer noun

Examples of pressurize in a Sentence

A pump is used to pressurize the fuel.

The system that pressurizes the airplane's cabin failed to operate correctly.

Don't let them pressurize you to do anything you don't want to do.

Recent Examples on the Web

City officials added that the water system needs to be fully pressurized and two tests must be conducted, about 16 hours apart, for the advisory to be lifted. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 28 May 2025

Before then, even as the entire planet begins turning blue and green, the first generations of human explorers could live across an archipelago of interconnected geodesic domes, pressurized and filled with oxygen to replicate Earth. —Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

There is nothing added to the tallow at any point during the process and the canister is pressurized simply with air. —Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 May 2025

At just 7,000 feet above sea level, plane cabins are pressurized at 11PSI. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pressurize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

pressurize

verb

pres·​sur·​ize ˈpresh-ə-ˌrīz 

pressurized; pressurizing

1

: to maintain near-normal atmospheric pressure in

pressurize an airplane cabin

2

: to apply pressure to

pressurization

ˌpresh-(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən

noun