the squeeze
noun
informal
: a situation that causes feelings of stress and pressure
We are really feeling the squeeze since I lost my job.
The government is putting the squeeze on tax evaders.
Examples of the squeeze in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet as the entire health care industry grapples with rising costs and the lingering damage of the pandemic, even clinics in states that support Planned Parenthood are feeling the squeeze.
—
Katie Benner, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Looking Ahead: With 14 teams jockeying for at-large position, someone in the SEC was inevitably going to feel the squeeze.
—Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
But Canadians felt the squeeze, and many homeowner mortgages reset in as little as three years.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
According to new data from WalletHub’s Valentine’s Day Spending Survey, 39% of Americans are feeling the squeeze of inflation on their Valentine’s Day plans – and for Black women managing both relationships and resources, these numbers hit close to home.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the squeeze 
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.
Katie Benner, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Looking Ahead: With 14 teams jockeying for at-large position, someone in the SEC was inevitably going to feel the squeeze.
—Jim Root, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
But Canadians felt the squeeze, and many homeowner mortgages reset in as little as three years.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
According to new data from WalletHub’s Valentine’s Day Spending Survey, 39% of Americans are feeling the squeeze of inflation on their Valentine’s Day plans – and for Black women managing both relationships and resources, these numbers hit close to home.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the squeeze
Dictionary Entries Near the squeeze
Cite this Entry
“The squeeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20squeeze. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share