Meaning of “pressure” in the English Dictionary

"pressure" in British English

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uk /ˈpreʃ.ər/ us /ˈpreʃ.ɚ/

pressure noun (PUSHING)

C2 [ U ] the force you produce when you press something:

He put too much pressure on the door handle and it snapped.
You can stop bleeding by applying pressure close to the injured area.

C1 [ C or U ] the force that a liquid or gas produces when it presses against an area:

gas/water pressure
The new material allows the company to make gas pipes which withstand higher pressures.
The gas is stored under pressure (= in a container which keeps it at a higher pressure than it would usually have).

More examples

  • If you apply pressure to a cut it's meant to stop the bleeding.
  • She tried to cure the pain in my knee by putting manual pressure on the joint.
  • The alarm is activated by the lightest pressure.
  • My ankle is extremely painful if I put any pressure on it.

pressure noun (PERSUADING)

B2 the act of trying to make someone else do something by arguing, persuading, etc.:

public/political pressure
Teachers are under increasing pressure to work longer hours.
The government is facing pressure from environmental activists.
The Defence Secretary resigned under pressure from the Prime Minister (= because the Prime Ministerforced him to).
She's putting pressure on him (= trying to persuade him) to get married.
formal The international community is trying to bring pressure to bear on the government (= trying to persuade them) to resolve the situation.

B2 [ C or U ] a difficult situation that makes you feel worried or unhappy:

She's got a lot of pressure on her at work just now.
Be nice to him - he's been under a lot of pressure recently.
Can you work well under pressure?
the pressures of work
so no pressure then! humorous

something that you say when what someone has just said makes you feel that you must try very hard to do something:

"These exams are the most important of all." "Oh, so no pressure then!"

[ U ] a situation in a football game in which attacking players are moving forward and getting closer to scoring a goal, and players from the opposing team have to work hard to stop them from scoring:

Ryan Giggs put the home defence under pressure.
Playing four forwards puts too much pressure on the defence.

More examples

  • They are putting pressure on the government to equalize state pension ages between men and women.
  • Some managers exert considerable pressure on their staff to work extra hours without being paid.
  • He's putting pressure on me to change my mind.
  • Despite renewed pressure to give up the occupied territory, they will not yield.
  • Her confession could not be admitted as evidence because it was given under pressure from the police.

pressureverb [ T ]

uk /ˈpreʃ.ər/ us /ˈpreʃ.ɚ/ US UK pressurize

(Definition of “pressure” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

"pressure" in American English

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us /ˈpreʃ·ər/

pressure noun (FORCE)

[ C/U ] the force produced by pressing against something:

[ U ] air/blood/water pressure

physics [ C/U ] Pressure is also the force that is put on a surface with reference to the area of the surface.

pressure noun (INFLUENCE)

[ C/U ] a strong, often threatening influence on an organization or person:

[ C ] Competitive pressures will force the company to sell off its factories.

[ C/U ] If you put pressure on someone, you try to cause that person to do something by persuading or threatening them:

[ U ] They put a lot of pressure on him to resign.

pressure noun (WORRY)

[ U ] worry and fear caused by the feeling that you have too many responsibilities and cares:

I like this job – there’s not so much pressure to produce every day.
verb [ T ] us /ˈpreʃ·ər/

She was pressured into signing the agreement.

(Definition of “pressure” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

"pressure" in Business English

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pressurenoun [ C or U ]

uk /ˈpreʃər/ us

a situation in which someone tries to make someone else do something by arguing, persuading, etc.:

public/political pressure
The guidelines were imposed under pressure from Congress.

a difficult situation, or the worried feeling that such a situation can give you:

pressure on sb She's got a lot of pressure on her at work just now.
He doesn't work well under pressure.
The pressures of work are making her depressed.
put pressure on sb/sth

to put someone or something in a difficult situation, or to try and persuade or force someone to do something:

Analysts said the lack of supply would undoubtedly put pressure on prices.

(Definition of “pressure” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)