Pressure Idioms (With Meaning and Examples)

Welcome to our fun guide on pressure idioms! Idioms are phrases with meanings that aren’t obvious just from the words themselves. This post will help you understand some common English idioms related to the idea of ‘pressure.’ These are easy to learn and fun to use!

Pressure Idioms

Here are 20 pressure idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.

Under Pressure

Meaning: Feeling stressed due to demands.

Example: She performs well under pressure.

Feel the Heat

Meaning: To feel intense pressure.

Example: He started to feel the heat as deadlines approached.

Buckle Under Pressure

Meaning: To collapse under stress.

Example: He might buckle under pressure during exams.

Turn up the Heat

Meaning: To increase pressure.

Example: They will turn up the heat on the opposing team.

Blow Off Steam

Meaning: To relieve stress.

Example: He goes running to blow off steam.

In Hot Water

Meaning: In trouble or under pressure.

Example: She’s in hot water with her boss.

On the Boil

Meaning: In a state of activity or agitation.

Example: His emotions were on the boil after the argument.

Boiling Point

Meaning: The peak of pressure or tension.

Example: The situation reached its boiling point last night.

Crack Under Pressure

Meaning: To fail because of stress.

Example: He tends to crack under pressure in interviews.

Under the Gun

Meaning: Under great pressure.

Example: They were under the gun to finish the project.

Full Steam Ahead

Meaning: With maximum energy or force.

Example: It’s full steam ahead with the new strategy.

Steamroller

Meaning: Overwhelm with pressure.

Example: She will steamroller through any opposition.

Pressure Cooker

Meaning: A situation of high stress.

Example: The office was a pressure cooker of activity.

Burst One’s Bubble

Meaning: To ruin someone’s happy but naive belief.

Example: Reality soon burst her bubble.

Keep One’s Cool

Meaning: Remain calm under stress.

Example: He always keeps his cool during crises.

Lose One’s Cool

Meaning: To become angry or agitated.

Example: She lost her cool when provoked.

Under the Wire

Meaning: Just within a deadline.

Example: He finished the task under the wire.

Tighten the Screws

Meaning: To increase pressure.

Example: They decided to tighten the screws on policy enforcement.

On Edge

Meaning: Nervous or tense.

Example: She’s been on edge all week.

At the Breaking Point

Meaning: Near emotional collapse.

Example: He’s at the breaking point with his workload.

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