press
1 of 4noun (1)
ˈpres 
1
a
: a crowd or crowded condition : throng
b
: a thronging or crowding forward or together
2
a
: an apparatus or machine by which a substance is cut or shaped, an impression of a body is taken, a material is compressed, pressure is applied to a body, liquid is expressed, or a cutting tool is fed into the work by pressure
b
: a building containing presses or a business using presses
3
: closet, cupboard
4
a
: an action of pressing or pushing : pressure
b
: an aggressive pressuring defense employed in basketball often over the entire court area
5
: the properly smoothed and creased condition of a freshly pressed garment
out of press
6
a
: printing press
b
: the act or the process of printing
c
: a printing or publishing establishment
7
a
: the gathering and publishing or broadcasting of news : journalism
b
: newspapers, periodicals, and often radio and television news broadcasting
c
: news reporters, publishers, and broadcasters
d
: comment or notice in newspapers and periodicals
is getting a good press
8
: any of various pressure devices (such as one for keeping sporting gear from warping when not in use)
9
: a lift in weight lifting in which the weight is raised to shoulder height and then smoothly extended overhead without assist from the legs compare clean and jerk, snatch
press
2 of 4verb (1)
pressed; pressing; presses
transitive verb
1
: to act upon through steady pushing or thrusting force exerted in contact : squeeze
2
a
: assail, harass
b
: afflict, oppress
3
a
: to squeeze out the juice or contents of
b
: to squeeze with apparatus or instruments to a desired density, smoothness, or shape
press [=iron] a shirt
… the drained curds are generally pressed together into solid blocks of cheese.
Caroline Campion
Caroline Campion4
a
: to exert influence on : constrain
b
: to try hard to persuade : beseech, entreat
5
: to move by means of pressure
6
a
: to lay stress or emphasis on
b
: to insist on or request urgently
7
: to follow through (a course of action)
8
: to clasp in affection or courtesy
9
: to make (a phonograph record) from a matrix (see matrix sense 2d)
also : to make (another kind of disk, such as a CD) by a similar process
intransitive verb
1
: to crowd closely : mass
2
: to force or push one's way
3
: to seek urgently : contend
4
: to require haste or speed in action
5
: to exert pressure
6
: to take or hold a press
7
: to employ a press in basketball
press
3 of 4verb (2)
pressed; pressing; presses
transitive verb
1
: to force into service especially in an army or navy : impress
2
a
: to take by authority especially for public use : commandeer
b
: to take and force into any usually emergency service
intransitive verb
: to impress men as soldiers or sailors
press
4 of 4noun (2)
1
: impressment into service especially in a navy
2
obsolete : a warrant for impressing recruits
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- closet
- cuddy
- cupboard
- pantry
Verb (1)
- bear (down on)
- depress
- shove
- weigh (on or upon)
Verb (2)
- appropriate
- arrogate
- commandeer
- convert
- expropriate
- pirate
- preempt
- seize
- take over
- usurp
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English presse, from Anglo-French, from presser to press
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Anglo-French presser, from Latin pressare, frequentative of premere to press; probably akin to Russian naperet' to press
Verb (2)
alteration of obsolete prest to enlist by giving pay in advance
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Verb (2)
1578, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing press
Kids Definition
press 1 of 2
verb
ˈpres
pressed; pressing
1
: to push steadily against
Press the button.
2
: to ask or urge strongly
I did not press her to explain. Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved
Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved3
: to move forward forcefully
A crowd pressed toward the gate.
4
: to squeeze so as to force out the juice or contents
press apples
5
: to flatten out or smooth by bearing down upon especially by ironing
press clothes
press
2 of 2noun
1
: crowd entry 2 sense 1, throng
He got caught in the press of holiday shoppers.
2
: a machine that uses pressure to shape, flatten, squeeze, or stamp
3
: the act of pressing : pressure
the press of a button
4
: a printing or publishing business
5
: the newspapers and magazines of a country
6
: news reporters and broadcasters
7
: printing press
8
: closet
press 1 of 3
noun
1
as in pantry
a built-in space for storage behind a door put the towels in the linen press Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pantry
- cupboard
- closet
- cuddy
- buttery
- vestiary
- spence
- cloakroom
- larder
- wardrobe
- coatroom
- ambry
- garderobe
2
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together he pushed his way through the press of people outside the courthouse Synonyms & Similar Words
- throng
- crowd
- swarm
- flock
- horde
- crush
- mob
- mass
- legion
- army
- masses
- multitude
- host
- bike
- scrum
- drove
- cram
- rout
- herd
- rabble
- millions
- pile
- gaggle
- rabblement
- jam
- mountain
- heap
- riffraff
- logjam
3
as in cabinet
a storage case typically having doors and shelves originally designed as a press for clothes, it now serves to hide the bedroom TV Synonyms & Similar Words
- cabinet
- cupboard
- locker
- closet
- console
- secretary
- buffet
- chest
- dresser
- sideboard
- hutch
- showcase
- china closet
- pie safe
- credenza
- credence
- bookcase
- clothespress
- vitrine
- breakfront
- wardrobe
- taboret
- tabouret
- étagère
- cuddy
- armoire
- shelving
- etagere
- cabinetry
- garderobe
press
2 of 3verb (1)
as in to grab
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
- grab
- seize
- confiscate
- appropriate
- claim
- occupy
- usurp
- pirate
- preempt
- steal
- convert
- annex
- snatch
- arrogate
- invade
- assume
- take over
- loot
- commandeer
- attach
- collar
- expropriate
- wrench
- grasp
- impound
- pillage
- sequester
- encroach
- trespass
- preoccupy
- misuse
- infringe
- repossess
- despoil
- wrest
- peculate
- embezzle
- misapply
- misappropriate
press
3 of 3verb (2)
1
as in to shove
to push steadily against with some force an old doorbell that requires you to press the button hard Synonyms & Similar Words
- shove
- punch
- compress
- depress
- squeeze
- pressure
- force
- mash
- thrust
- stuff
- squish
- bear (down on)
- squash
- weigh (on or upon)
- jam
- muscle
- compel
- squoosh
- wedge
- crush
- propel
- scrunch
- compact
- contract
- pack
- drive
- wring
- constrict
- lean (on or against)
- condense
- cram
- jam-pack
2
as in to squeeze
to apply external pressure on so as to force out the juice or contents of my family will only drink juice from freshly pressed oranges Synonyms & Similar Words
- squeeze
- mash
- crush
- extract
- express
- pulp
- ream
- extrude
- puree
- purée
3
as in to huddle
to gather into a closely packed group everyone pressed around me to see the pictures Synonyms & Similar Words
- huddle
- crowd
- pile
- bunch
- cluster
- assemble
- throng
- swarm
- mob
- flock
- hug
- conglomerate
- concentrate
- converge
- surround
- collect
- herd
- convene
- congregate
- concenter
- encircle
- forgather
- embrace
- foregather
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- break up
- split (up)
- disperse
- disband
4
as in to push
to force one's way we continued to press deeper and deeper into the tangled rain forest Synonyms & Similar Words
- push
- squeeze
- jam
- bull
- muscle
- shove
- shoulder
- elbow
- crash
- thrust
- bore
- jostle
- bulldoze
- ram
5
as in to force
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
- force
- compel
- coerce
- pressure
- oblige
- drive
- obligate
- muscle
- blackmail
- impress
- constrain
- dragoon
- sandbag
- intimidate
- make
- twist one's arm
- bully
- impel
- blackjack
- drag
- shame
- browbeat
- hector
- hound
- threaten
- cow
- badger
- bulldoze
- harass
- menace
- terrorize
- high-pressure
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- let
- permit
- allow
- move
- win (over)
- argue
- induce
- convince
- talk (into)
- satisfy
- persuade
- prevail (on or upon)
6
as in to urge
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
- urge
- encourage
- push
- prompt
- nudge
- exhort
- goad
- pressure
- prod
- spur
- coax
- egg (on)
- propel
- rush
- stimulate
- hurry
- drive
- implore
- provoke
- hustle
- beseech
- importune
- blandish
- cajole
- wheedle
- needle
- nag
- adjure
- incite
- foment
- soft-soap
- instigate
- high-pressure
- stir (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- brake
- discourage
- check
- deter
- restrain
- dissuade
- inhibit
- curb
- hold back
- constrain
7
as in to highlight
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
- highlight
- emphasize
- stress
- feature
- accent
- punctuate
- focus
- play up
- spotlight
- foreground
- bear down on
- identify
- publicize
- accentuate
- promote
- advertise
- illuminate
- point (up)
- make much of
- plug
- pinpoint
- overplay
- boost
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tone (down)
- minimize
- play down
- disparage
- discount
- de-emphasize
- understate
- underemphasize
- belittle