pressure cooker

noun

1
: an airtight utensil for quick cooking or preserving of foods by means of high-temperature steam under pressure
2
: a situation or environment that is fraught with emotional or social pressures
pressure-cook verb

Examples of pressure cooker in a Sentence

The new boss has turned the office into a pressure cooker.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That would normally be a good thing, except that within the competitive pressure cooker of a sports-études program, students are expected to perform at extremely high levels. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2025 What should owners of SharkNinja pressure cookers do? Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA Today, 2 May 2025 Cole stepped into this pressure cooker this week, testifying on behalf of eliminating the sunset clause. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025 Airplanes are, quite literally, a pressure cooker for emotions. Milad Haghani, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pressure cooker

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pressure cooker was in 1915

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Cite this Entry

“Pressure cooker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pressure%20cooker. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

pressure cooker

noun
: a utensil for cooking or preserving foods by means of steam under pressure
pressure-cook
ˌpresh-ər-ˈku̇k
verb

More from Merriam-Webster on pressure cooker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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