as in squeezed
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in seized
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the fleeing bank robber pressed a nearby taxi into service as a getaway car
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in shoved
to push steadily against with some force
an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
3
as in huddled
to gather into a closely packed group
everyone pressed around me to see the pictures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
5
as in compelled
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
a manager pressed by a business crisis to return from his vacation ahead of schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in urged
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
pressed us to go with them to the school board meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in emphasized
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on
an office e-mail that presses the need for greater vigilance concerning building security
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of pressed
Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
New York will be hard-pressed to continue scoring at that level in the championship.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 27 May 2026
The pressed setting powder on top is ultra-finely-milled to resist undereye creasing and smooth fine lines, while the lower loose powder underneath is designed to blur the complexion and absorb oil without making skin look flat.
—Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 22 May 2026
And SirVocea Dennis, who started 16 games at linebacker, will be hard-pressed to find regular playing time.
—John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
China has been mostly sitting out the conflict, at least publicly, viewing it as a spasm of violence emanating from a superpower hard-pressed to assert its hegemony over a weaker opponent.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 May 2026
Jako Wellness Cafe is the newest addition to Ladera’s dining scene, serving pressed juices, smoothies, and nutrient-rich dishes harvested directly from the resort’s gardens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Apr. 2026
Uy Scuti Bøyz [YSL] You’d be hard pressed to find an up-and-coming Atlanta rapper who doesn’t want to pay their respects to Young Thug, but not all of them are signed to his label.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed, unlike regular olive oil.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 12 June 2026
Yet the league and team have declined to get their position on the record, Wembanyama has not addressed it publicly, ESPN has not answered questions about its Game 4 broadcast presentation, and the reporters with regular access to him have not pressed him on it.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
Baez threw the driver on the ground, straddled him and pressed a gun to his back.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026
Checking the Seal Jars that have successfully sealed will have a concave lid that won't pop back up when pressed.
—Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026
Howard said that since the fraud allegations surfaced in the fall, many victims have been pressed by the county’s lawyers to buttress their claims of abuse.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Since Paramasivam’s passing, the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Global Labor Justice and others have pressed Brandix and Victoria’s Secret for accountability through demonstrations, social media campaigns and now a direct appeal to shareholders.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Ale Checka, a longtime Fort Worth ISD teacher and regular speaker at board meeting public comment sessions, pressed Hinojosa on the lack of oversight and awareness regarding the takeover of Fort Worth ISD from state lawmakers in Austin.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
Welker pressed Trump on his claims, noting repeatedly that the president had no evidence backing them up.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
Adjective
While many automakers go out of their way to make their hybrid offerings more visually distinctive, passers-by would be hard-pressed to tell whether the Carnival is a gasoline or a gasoline-electric model.
—Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
New York will be hard-pressed to continue scoring at that level in the championship.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 27 May 2026
The pressed setting powder on top is ultra-finely-milled to resist undereye creasing and smooth fine lines, while the lower loose powder underneath is designed to blur the complexion and absorb oil without making skin look flat.
—Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 22 May 2026
And SirVocea Dennis, who started 16 games at linebacker, will be hard-pressed to find regular playing time.
—John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
China has been mostly sitting out the conflict, at least publicly, viewing it as a spasm of violence emanating from a superpower hard-pressed to assert its hegemony over a weaker opponent.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 May 2026
Jako Wellness Cafe is the newest addition to Ladera’s dining scene, serving pressed juices, smoothies, and nutrient-rich dishes harvested directly from the resort’s gardens.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Apr. 2026
Uy Scuti Bøyz [YSL] You’d be hard pressed to find an up-and-coming Atlanta rapper who doesn’t want to pay their respects to Young Thug, but not all of them are signed to his label.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed, unlike regular olive oil.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Leo pressed his migration message and also inaugurated the new tower of the Sagrada Familia basilica.
—ABC News, 12 June 2026
Yet the league and team have declined to get their position on the record, Wembanyama has not addressed it publicly, ESPN has not answered questions about its Game 4 broadcast presentation, and the reporters with regular access to him have not pressed him on it.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026
Baez threw the driver on the ground, straddled him and pressed a gun to his back.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026
Checking the Seal Jars that have successfully sealed will have a concave lid that won't pop back up when pressed.
—Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026
Howard said that since the fraud allegations surfaced in the fall, many victims have been pressed by the county’s lawyers to buttress their claims of abuse.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Since Paramasivam’s passing, the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Global Labor Justice and others have pressed Brandix and Victoria’s Secret for accountability through demonstrations, social media campaigns and now a direct appeal to shareholders.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Ale Checka, a longtime Fort Worth ISD teacher and regular speaker at board meeting public comment sessions, pressed Hinojosa on the lack of oversight and awareness regarding the takeover of Fort Worth ISD from state lawmakers in Austin.
—Samuel O’Neal 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
Welker pressed Trump on his claims, noting repeatedly that the president had no evidence backing them up.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pressed
Adjective
-
Lab testing showed that the candies had no illicit substances in them, but the waxy substance was found to contain THC and the crushed pills allegedly contained cocaine and fentanyl, state police wrote.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
-
Pour into a glass filled with crushed ice.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Aemond was named Prince Regent in the aftermath, and seized control of the Iron Throne while Aegon recovered.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
But in March, environmental authorities seized 550 head of cattle and issued 21 citations, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Mo Salah had a header near the top of the penalty box, but his shot was shoved aside by Thibaut Courtois.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
During the investigation, a 57-year-old man, who has been identified as Eric Franks, confronted them and shoved the sergeant.—
Ross DiMattei,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
As Pino sobbed, family members of Lucy Fernandez squeezed into the wood courtroom pews behind Adams while Pino’s supporters sat behind him.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
19 June 2026
-
Almost the entire population of Gaza, more than 2 million people, has been squeezed into vast, squalid tent cities dependent on international aid.—
Melanie Lidman,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Her entire family gathered in her mother’s home, huddled around the television, the 72-year-old Bronzeville resident said.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
-
It is supposed to be a great beach party with a bonfire, but it gets rained out, and they are all huddled under an awning wearing too much body glitter and eating from a greige buffet.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The up-tempo, run-and-gun offense made the team Hollywood stars, helped furnish The Forum with five championship banners and pushed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the top of the all-time scoring list.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
Trump first pushed for the creation of the garden in 2020 through an executive order so that it could be completed by July 4, 2026.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Iranian state television duly presented the agreement as proof that Iran had compelled America to accept its conditions, which helps explain the alarm in Israel and among Washington's hawks.—
Hamidreza Azizi,
Time,
19 June 2026
-
In defense of the players, San Francisco Archdiocese spokesman Peter Marlow stated that people of faith should not be compelled to suppress their convictions in public life.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Officials in Hood County, Texas, for example, rejected a proposal for a six-month moratorium after a state senator urged the Texas attorney general to intervene and prevent the measure.—
Rachel Mural,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
-
Van Diggelen urged her colleagues to be open to diverse conversations and understand that men and women operate differently.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pressed. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
