squeeze

1 of 2

verb

squeezed; squeezing

transitive verb

1
a
: to exert pressure especially on opposite sides of : compress
b
: to extract or emit under pressure
c
: to force or thrust by compression
2
a(1)
: to get by extortion
(2)
: to deprive by extortion
b
: to cause economic hardship to
c
: to reduce the amount of
squeezes profits
3
: to crowd into a limited area
4
: to gain or win by a narrow margin
5
: to force (another player) to discard in bridge so as to unguard a suit
6
: to score by means of a squeeze play

intransitive verb

1
: to give way before pressure
2
: to exert pressure
also : to practice extortion or oppression
3
: to force one's way
squeeze through a door
4
: to pass, win, or get by narrowly
squeezability noun
squeezable adjective
squeezer noun

squeeze

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an act or instance of squeezing : compression
b
: handclasp
also : embrace
2
a
: a quantity squeezed out from something
a squeeze of lemon
b
: a group crowded together : crowd
3
: a profit taken by a middleman on goods or transactions
4
: a financial pressure caused by narrowing margins or by shortages
5
: a forced discard in bridge
6
7
slang : a romantic partner
she's my main squeeze

Examples of squeeze in a Sentence

Verb He lightly squeezed her hand and smiled. Gently squeeze the fruit to see if it's ripe. Hold it securely but don't squeeze too hard. He squeezed the juice from the orange. Noun Fifty guests will be a bit of a squeeze. It'll be a tight squeeze, but we can all fit.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Redlining and housing discrimination squeezed Blacks into an area between Holton Street to 27th Street, east to west, and Juneau Avenue to Capitol Drive, north to south. Journal Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024 Then, in the final two laps off the restart, Logano sprinted ahead and then won under caution on the last lap for his first victory of the season, while DiBenedetto squeezed past Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2024 With enough notice, the team can try their best to reassign your party to a larger table rather than squeezing a too-big group into a too-small table. Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 29 Feb. 2024 Cut the limes into wedges and squeeze one wedge into the container. Ali Slagle, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 Emergency departments in South Korea’s biggest hospitals have been squeezed since trainee doctors began leaving the job this week in protest at the government plan. Reuters, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024 For the last 10 years, Dominique Horn has worked for a community health organization in the fast-growing city of Vancouver in Washington State, helping people squeezed by soaring rents to try to avoid homelessness. David W. Chen, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Theories range from the week's rainy weather, forcing fans to squeeze together in the few areas that weren't muddy, to overly large crowds, to too few security guards for the crowd size. The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 As Israel’s military offensive continues to squeeze Gaza’s population into smaller and smaller fractions of the strip, the humanitarian situation grows increasingly dire. Katie Polglase, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
How to pick the right leaves The trick is to gently toss and massage the leaves with a pinch of salt and maybe a little acid (a squeeze of lemon juice or splash of mild vinegar) before adding your dressing of choice. Adrienne Cheatham, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 Typically eaten for breakfast (Saigon Oi opens at 9 a.m. daily), it’s served with an airy baguette that delivers an ASMR-worthy crunch with a gentle squeeze. Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 With the ability to respond to kids' touches and squeezes, there are seemingly endless features to discover. Christine Luff, Parents, 27 Feb. 2024 Drizzle tuna steaks in olive oil and a squeeze of lemon then pop in the oven alongside asparagus for two delicious Easter menu ideas in one. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024 Rodrigo and Gracie Abrams were seen sharing a squeeze before having a conversation, as were Swift and Ed Sheeran. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2024 Overall, more than 30 countries in Africa have expressed interest in introducing the vaccine and fears of a supply squeeze have eased since a second vaccine completed a key regulatory step in December. Fox News, 22 Jan. 2024 Barrino's co-star Taraji P. Henson also seemed to sing Randolph's praises and gave the winner a loving squeeze on the hand before getting pulled elsewhere in the bustling venue. USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 In fact, unlike the rest of the stocks on this list, SL Green’s short squeeze might actually be in the rear-view mirror. Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'squeeze.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of obsolete English quease, from Middle English queysen, from Old English cwȳsan; akin to Icelandic kveisa stomach cramps

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1601, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of squeeze was circa 1601

Dictionary Entries Near squeeze

Cite this Entry

“Squeeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squeeze. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

squeeze

1 of 2 verb
squeezed; squeezing
1
a
: to press together from the opposite sides of : compress
squeeze wet clay into a ball
b
: to get by squeezing
squeeze juice from a lemon
c
: to force or thrust by compression : crowd
squeezed into the car
2
a
: to force (as by threats) money, goods, or services from
squeezed their tenants mercilessly
b
: to reduce the amount of
rising costs squeezed profits
3
: to gain or win by a narrow margin
squeezer noun

squeeze

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of squeezing
2
: financial pressure
put the squeeze on someone
3
slang : a romantic partner
she's my main squeeze

More from Merriam-Webster on squeeze

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