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to pressure

to pressure

149 4.2
To try to make someone do something
  • verb
  • /ˈprɛʃər/
translation icon : presionar a
  • Did your friends pressure you to stay out late last night?
  • pressure the government
  • publicly pressure
  • an effort to pressure

And that was sort of a way to try and pressure the board to give answers.

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Examples

  • I felt pressured by my parents to get here.

  • So far, the international community has proved unwilling to pressure the Palestinians on this point.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Did your older friends pressure you?

  • And that was sort of a way to try and pressure the board to give answers.

  • Did he pressure you into joining?

  • That is to pressure the Republicans to pass the bill.

  • I hope I didn't pressure you in the past.

  • Did any of them pressure you into doing stuff that you didn't want to do?

  • The international community must pressure the Afghan government to crack down on corruption and develop robust political parties.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In the early 1990s, it had torn up purchasing contracts and begun pressuring vendors for better deals.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

to make
vsto pressure
1.0

To force someone to do something

is the attempt that may rely on persuasion rather than direct compulsion
to force
vsto pressure
2.3

To make someone do something by using power or pressure

is often a milder attempt that can include persuasion not only compulsion
to drive
vsto pressure
3.6

To cause someone to want to do something strongly

is a general attempt that can be milder than this strong compulsion
to convince
vsto pressure
2.7

Make someone believe something is true or agree to do something

is wider, including nonrational compulsion or coercion besides argument
to push
vsto pressure
958 1.1

To urge someone to do something or try harder

is the general act that can include stronger coercion or milder urging
to urge
vsto pressure
591 3.2

To strongly encourage someone to do something

can involve force or stronger measures beyond encouragement
to persuade
vsto pressure
472 2.7

To make someone agree or do something by giving reasons

also allows coercive methods, not solely convincing by reasons
to press
vsto pressure
285 3.9

Ask someone firmly and repeatedly to do something

is a broader attempt without persistent demands
to impose
vsto pressure
271 4.8

Force someone to accept something they do not want

is the general act of trying to change someone's actions, not focused on unwanted acceptance
to compel
vsto pressure
258 4.8

Force someone to do something or make them feel they must

is an attempt that may use persuasion rather than making action necessary
to coerce
vsto pressure
  • Offensive
91 6.4

Force someone to do something by threats

is broader and can rely on persuasion instead of threats
to squeeze
vsto pressure
79 4.8

To force someone to do something or give you something

is aimed at getting someone to act, not specifically at extracting goods
to impose on
vsto pressure
60 5.5

To force someone to accept something or to ask too much of them

is a general attempt, not specifically about forcing acceptance
to induce
vsto pressure
51 4.9

Persuade someone to do something

is broader and can include coercion rather than only persuasion
to nudge
vsto pressure
24 4.1

To gently encourage someone to try something new

is a stronger attempt that may use direct persuasion or coercion
to prevail
vsto pressure
  • Formal
23 6.7

To persuade someone to do something after repeated effort

is the basic attempt and may be quicker or more forceful
to cajole
vsto pressure
15 7.7

To persuade someone to do something by gentle talk and praise

is often harder and can involve coercion or force instead of flattery
to goad
vsto pressure
14 6.9

To urge someone to act by annoying or teasing them

is the general attempt to change actions, not necessarily by provocation
to hold someone's feet to the fire
vsto pressure
  • Informal
12 8.1

Make someone do what they promised or take responsibility by pressuring them

is the general attempt which may be less intense and less about responsibility
to prod
vsto pressure
8 3.6

To push someone a little to make them start doing something

is the more general attempt that can be stronger than a light prompt
to impel
vsto pressure
4 7.2

To make someone feel they must do something, often because of pressure or need

is mainly an external attempt rather than an internal push to act
to prevail upon
vsto pressure
4 7.7

To persuade someone who does not want to do something to do it

is a general attempt that can include immediate or forceful methods
to force down
vsto pressure
  • Informal
2 7.0

To make someone accept ideas they do not want

is a broader attempt and may not impose beliefs on someone
to bring pressure to bear
vsto pressure
  • Formal
1 6.0

To use influence to persuade someone to do something

is the general act of trying to change someone's decision rather than a deliberate tactic
to turn up the pressure
vsto pressure
1 3.9

To try to make someone change what they do by making them feel more stress

is the basic attempt without necessarily increasing demands
to twist someone's arm
vsto pressure
  • Informal
1 4.4

Get someone to agree or do something by pressuring them

is the broader trying, which can be gentler or more formal
to pile on the pressure
vsto pressure
1 4.4

To give someone more stress to make them change their mind

is the general attempt, not specifically about increasing stress
to jawbone
vsto pressure
  • Literature
1 7.9

Talk strongly to someone to try to persuade them

is the general attempt, not limited to public or forceful talking
to force down someone's throat
vsto pressure
  • Informal
1 8.3

Make someone accept ideas or opinions they do not want by pressuring them

is a general attempt that can be less aggressive and not about ideas
to bend someone's will
vsto pressure
7.1

Persuade someone to do what you want

is the wider act of trying that may not aim to alter core wishes

Antonyms

1.0

To let something happen or let someone do something

Idioms

no pressure
  • Informal
18 3.3

There is no need to hurry or feel forced

Phrasal Verbs

To use influence to persuade someone to do something

To try to make someone change what they do by making them feel more stress

1 7.0

Perform badly because of nervousness in an important situation

To give someone more stress to make them change their mind

Do well when you feel pressure

5.4

Stop working or work badly when there is too much demand

Compounds

230 2.5

The push of blood against the walls of your blood vessels when it moves

high blood pressure
  • Specialized
52 2.8

A condition in which blood pushes too hard against vessel walls and increases health risks

air pressure
  • Specialized
18 2.2

The weight of the air pushing down on a surface

barometric pressure
  • Specialized
7 4.0

The weight of the air around us that changes with the weather

atmospheric pressure
  • Specialized
6 4.2

The weight of the air pressing on the ground and on things

A sealed pot that cooks food quickly using hot steam

5 3.9

Calm and gentle, not forceful or pushy

4 4.1

A group that tries to change government decisions to help a cause or its members

Using strong pushy ways to make someone buy or agree

oil pressure
  • Specialized
4 3.7

How hard oil pushes through engine parts to keep them working

pressure suit
  • Specialized
4 7.3

A protective suit filled with air that keeps normal air pressure around the body in space or high altitudes

pressure point
  • Specialized
4 4.6

A spot on the body that is very sensitive when pressed

A sealed pot that cooks food quickly using hot steam or a situation where people feel very stressed

pressure gauge
  • Specialized
3 3.8

A device that measures how hard a gas or liquid pushes inside a system

A job that causes a lot of stress and has strict deadlines

A place in a process where small problems cause big trouble

gas pressure
  • Specialized
1 3.5

The push of a gas against the walls of its container

intraocular pressure
  • Specialized
1 6.0

The pressure made by the fluids inside the eye

arterial pressure
  • Specialized
1 3.8

The force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries

pressure level
  • Specialized
1 3.5

How hard something pushes on each small part of a surface

pressure sore
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A damaged area of skin that appears when constant weight on it keeps blood from reaching it

diastolic pressure
  • Specialized
1 4.6

Pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats, usually the lower blood pressure number

radiation pressure
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A very small push that light gives to a surface when it hits it

osmotic pressure
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Pressure that stops water from moving into a solution through a membrane

pressure pad
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A device that senses weight when someone steps on it and makes something happen

sea-level pressure
  • Specialized
1 3.7

Air pressure that shows what it would be at sea level

systolic pressure
  • Specialized
1 4.1

The highest pressure in the arteries when the heart pumps blood

vapor pressure
  • Specialized
1 6.0

The push of gas above a liquid in a closed container

venous pressure
  • Specialized
1 5.1

The force of blood pushing on the walls of the veins

compartment pressure
  • Specialized
5.6

Air pressure inside a sealed space like an airplane cabin that keeps people safe

A very small push on a surface caused by particles in a beam of light

8.3

A force from sound waves that pushes on a surface in the way the waves move

A situation with little stress or urgency

A pushy method to make people buy things

The pressure of sound at one moment at a point

Freedom from stress or need to do well in a task

pressure cabin
  • Specialized
4.0

A part of a plane or spacecraft kept with extra air so people can breathe normally

pressure sensation
  • Specialized
4.0

A feeling on the skin when something pushes on it

pressure dome
  • Specialized
8.0

A dome-shaped building with higher air pressure inside than outside

pressure feed
  • Specialized
5.4

A system that uses a pump to push oil to engine bearings

A strong feeling that you must do very well in school, work, or sport

pressure unit
  • Specialized
3.6

A unit that shows how much force presses on an area, like pascal or psi

A system where a pump pushes oil under pressure to engine bearings to stop metal parts rubbing

sound pressure level
  • Specialized
5.1

A measure of how loud a sound is in decibels

sound pressure
  • Specialized
5.1

Extra pressure in the air caused by a sound wave that we can measure

standard pressure
  • Specialized
4.4

The pressure at sea level used as a reference equal to a 760 mm column of mercury at zero Celsius

How Forceful

to coerce
  • Offensive
91 6.4
to force
2.3
to pressure
149 4.2
to persuade
472 2.7
to encourage
2.3
to ask
1.0

Surface Forms

pressure infinitive
pressured past
pressured past participle
pressuring present participle
pressures third person singular

Morphology

pressure = pressure (semi-transparent) = press + ure

The verb is formed by conversion from the noun 'pressure', and the meaning 'coerce' is a conventional metaphorical extension of the noun.

Etymology

Pressure comes from the root press, which means 'to push' or 'to squeeze'. To pressure someone is to 'push' or try to force them to do something.