pressure

pressure — noun

1. the pushing or squeezing of one surface against another when two objects are in

1.nounC2
Definition

the pushing or squeezing of one surface against another when two objects are in direct contact, measured by how much force is applied over a given area.

Example

The nurse applied gentle pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.

collocation: apply pressure / gentle pressure

The old bridge could not handle the extra pressure from the heavy trucks.

collocation: handle the pressure / pressure from something

Common collocations
  • apply pressure
  • exert pressure
  • gentle pressure
  • firm pressure
  • relieve the pressure
Synonyms
  • compression

    more technical; often used in engineering and physics contexts

  • force

    broader in meaning; does not always imply contact between surfaces

Usage Note

This sense is about actual physical contact between surfaces. Do not confuse with sense 2 (AIR/GAS FORCE), which describes pressure exerted by fluids or gases rather than solid objects.

2. the push created by a gas or liquid against whatever holds it, including the dow

2.nounC1
Definition

the push created by a gas or liquid against whatever holds it, including the downward push of the air around us pressing on the earth's surface.

Example

The car's tire pressure dropped sharply after the long drive in cold weather.

collocation: tire pressure drops

The weather report said a high-pressure system was moving toward the coast.

collocation: high-pressure system (weather)

Common collocations
  • blood pressure
  • air pressure
  • water pressure
  • tire pressure
  • high pressure
  • low pressure
  • pressure gauge
Synonyms
  • force

    more general; pressure specifies how force is spread over a surface

  • atmospheric pressure

    restricted to the weight of the air around the Earth

Usage Note

Common in science, engineering, and weather contexts. For air pressure specifically, you can say 'atmospheric pressure'. For liquids, 'water pressure' is widely used in everyday talk about plumbing.

3. the effort to get someone to behave in a particular way by arguing, repeatedly a

3.nounB2
Definition

the effort to get someone to behave in a particular way by arguing, repeatedly asking, or threatening them.

Example

The manager put pressure on the sales team to meet the monthly target.

collocation: put pressure on someone to do something

Jiwoo felt pressure from her parents to choose a more stable career path.

collocation: feel pressure from someone to do something

Common collocations
  • put pressure on
  • apply pressure
  • exert pressure
  • under pressure
  • public pressure
  • political pressure
  • peer pressure
Synonyms
  • coercion

    stronger and more formal; implies threats rather than gentle persuasion

  • persuasion

    softer; does not carry the idea of force or threat

  • arm-twisting

    informal; suggests a forceful but not necessarily hostile approach

Grammar Patterns

put pressure on someone to do something

under pressure from someone to do something

Usage Note

Unlike sense 4 (STRESS), this sense focuses on the external source doing the persuading or forcing, not on the internal feeling of the person being pressured.

Common Mistakes

She gave pressure to him to join.
She put pressure on him to join.
The correct verb is 'put' not 'give', and the preposition is 'on'.

4. a feeling of worry or strain caused by having too many demands, responsibilities

4.nounB2
Definition

a feeling of worry or strain caused by having too many demands, responsibilities, or expectations to deal with.

Example

The pressure of her final exams kept Tanvi awake at night.

collocation: the pressure of something + emotional/mental effect

Some people work better under pressure than in a calm environment.

collocation: work under pressure

Common collocations
  • under pressure
  • feel pressure
  • handle the pressure
  • the pressure of work
  • financial pressure
  • peer pressure
Synonyms
  • stress

    nearly interchangeable; 'stress' emphasises the mental strain itself, while 'pressure' often suggests an external source

  • strain

    focuses on the effort required to cope with demands

  • burden

    emphasises how heavy or hard to bear the situation feels

Antonyms
  • ease

    describes a situation free from difficulty or pressure

  • relief

    the feeling after pressure has been removed

Grammar Patterns

under pressure

the pressure of something

Usage Note

This sense describes the internal emotional state. Compare with sense 3 (PERSUADING), which describes external attempts to influence someone. The two often overlap: external pressure (sense 3) leads to internal stress (sense 4).

Common Mistakes

I have pressure to finish my homework.
I feel pressure to finish my homework.
Use 'feel' or 'be under' pressure, not 'have pressure'.

5. a spoken comment or hint that makes someone feel a strong expectation to perform

5.noun
Definition

a spoken comment or hint that makes someone feel a strong expectation to perform well, often said after someone has publicly praised or counted on them.

Example

"No pressure, but the whole class is counting on you to win," said the teacher.

informal spoken expression: 'No pressure, but…'

My grandmother smiled and said no pressure, but I knew she expected me to do well.

Common collocations
  • no pressure, but
  • no pressure though
  • no pressure or anything
Synonyms
  • responsibility

    more formal and general; does not capture the ironic tone of 'no pressure'

Usage Note

Almost always used in the fixed spoken phrase 'No pressure, but…' which ironically adds pressure. The phrase is informal and common in conversations among friends, family, or teammates.

6. a situation in football (soccer) in which the attacking team keeps pushing forwa

6.noun
Definition

a situation in football (soccer) in which the attacking team keeps pushing forward and the defending team must work hard to prevent a goal from being scored.

Example

The home team's defence came under heavy pressure in the last ten minutes.

sports collocation: come under pressure

The crowd cheered as the attackers kept the pressure on the goal for the whole second half.

sports collocation: keep the pressure on

Common collocations
  • come under pressure
  • under pressure
  • keep the pressure on
  • under heavy pressure
  • pressure on the goal
Synonyms
  • attack

    broader; describes the offensive phase, not specifically the defending team's difficulty

  • assault

    stronger; often used when the attacking team is very close to scoring repeatedly

Usage Note

Specific to football commentary and discussion. Do not use this sense in general conversation. The phrase 'under pressure' in sports is often followed by a description of how the defending team responds.

Idioms

put pressure on somebody (to do something)

idiom

To try to make someone do something by using influence or force.

Her parents put pressure on her to study medicine.

The boss put pressure on the team to finish the project early.

under pressure

idiom

When a gas or liquid is kept in a container with high force, so it comes out quickly when opened.

The soda is kept under pressure in the can.

Fire extinguishers contain gas under pressure.

pressure — verb

Word family

  • press
    verbA2
  • press
    nounB1
  • pressured
    adjectiveB2
  • pressurize
    verbC1
  • pressurized
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/4

All four words describe difficulty or discomfort, but they differ in what they emphasise. Pressure highlights an external force pushing on you — deadlines, expectations, demands from others. Stress is the internal reaction: anxiety, worry, and the feeling of being overwhelmed. Strain focuses on the effort it takes to keep going under difficult conditions, like stretching a rope to its limit. Burden adds a moral or emotional weight — something heavy that you must carry for a long time. A student might feel exam pressure (external), experience stress (internal), suffer the strain of long revision hours (effort), and describe tuition fees as a financial burden (weight). In everyday speech, pressure and stress overlap the most, but pressure points outward while stress points inward.

pressure ↗stress ↗strain ↗burden ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • put pressure on
  • under pressure
  • apply pressure
  • exert pressure
  • feel pressure
  • handle the pressure

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Pressure entered English in the 14th century from Old French, coming ultimately from Latin 'pressūra' — a pressing or squeezing action. The Latin word came from 'pressus', the past participle of 'premere' (to press, to squeeze, to push down). The physical sense (the force of one thing against another) has been in English since the late 1300s. The figurative meaning of 'mental or emotional strain' developed much later, recorded from the mid-1700s, and the verb sense ('to pressure someone') appeared in the early 1900s.