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adj Common

pressing

PREH-sihng

Pressing (adj) means requiring immediate attention; urgent. Example: “There are more pressing matters to deal with first.”

adj
1
Requiring immediate attention; urgent.
"There are more pressing matters to deal with first."
"A pressing deadline forced them to work through the night."
noun
1
The act of smoothing wrinkles from fabric with an iron or press.
"The suit needed a good pressing before the interview."

How to use pressing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUrgent and needing attention right away, or the act of ironing out fabric.

Common pairings
pressing issue pressing need a quick pressing

Word forms

more pressing comparative, pressings plural, most pressing superlative

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There are more _____ matters to deal with first.

Related words

Rhymes for pressing

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Frequently asked questions

What does “pressing” mean?

The word “pressing” means requiring immediate attention; urgent. In plain terms, urgent and needing attention right away, or the act of ironing out fabric.

How do you pronounce “pressing”?

“Pressing” is pronounced PREH-sihng (/ˈpɹɛsɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “pressing” in a sentence?

Here is “pressing” used in a sentence: “There are more pressing matters to deal with first.”

What part of speech is “pressing”?

Depending on how it is used, “pressing” can be an adjective and a noun.

Is “pressing” a common word?

“Pressing” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “pressing” have?

“Pressing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: requiring immediate attention; urgent.

What is the difference between pressing and urgent?

Both describe something requiring immediate attention, and in most sentences they are interchangeable. Urgent is the stronger, more everyday word, often tied to emergencies, while pressing is slightly more formal and suggests a matter that keeps demanding your attention, as in "a pressing engagement" or "pressing questions."

What is the difference between pressing and ironing?

In everyday speech both mean smoothing wrinkles from fabric with an iron. In sewing and tailoring, however, ironing means sliding the iron back and forth across the cloth, while pressing means lifting the iron and setting it down on one area at a time, which smooths the fabric without stretching it.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial