Definitions
01to press firmly
B1 · Intermediate
v. to press something firmly from different sides with your fingers or hands.
v. to apply pressure to an object from two or more sides simultaneously, often to change its shape or extract contents.
日本語:絞る※
“You need to squeeze the lemon over the fish to add some flavour.”
“The therapist instructed the patient to squeeze the rubber ball repeatedly to rebuild strength in the small muscles of the hand.”
02to fit into a space
B1 · Intermediate
v. to manage to get into or through a very small or crowded space.
v. to force oneself or an object into a confined space; often used with 'into' or 'through'.
“We managed to squeeze six people into the small car for the short trip.”
“The hikers had to squeeze through a narrow cleft in the rock face to reach the hidden valley on the other side.”
03to hug
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to give someone a quick, tight hug to show you like them.
v. to embrace someone closely or firmly as a gesture of affection.
“She gave her daughter a quick squeeze before she got on the school bus.”
“He squeezed her hand reassuringly as they waited for the doctor to announce the test results.”
04financial pressure
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic
n. a difficult situation where there is not enough money or space.
n. a period of economic or financial restriction where costs rise or credit becomes difficult to obtain.
“Many families are feeling the squeeze because of rising food prices.”
“The central bank's decision to raise interest rates has put a significant squeeze on small businesses looking to expand.”
Synonyms
05romantic partner
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang · Informal
n. a person that someone is dating or in a relationship with.
n. a romantic partner or sweetheart; typically used in the phrase 'main squeeze'.
“He brought his new squeeze to the party to meet his old friends.”
“Though he had been dating around for months, he finally introduced her to his parents as his main squeeze.”
Synonyms
06mining/geology
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. when the roof or walls of a mine start to close in because of the weight of the earth.
n. the gradual closing of underground workings caused by the weight of overlying rock layers.
“The miners had to leave the tunnel because they noticed a squeeze in the support beams.”
“Engineers monitored the squeeze in the lower shafts, concerned that the structural integrity of the mine was being compromised by the shifting strata.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “squeeze” in context.
Verb
01. gently squeeze the trigger
“The instructor told the recruit to breathe out and gently squeeze the trigger.”
adv + verb + noun
02. squeeze into a tight space
“We managed to squeeze into a tight space at the back of the crowded elevator.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
03. squeeze past the crowd
“Excuse me, I need to squeeze past the crowd to reach the exit.”
verb + prep + noun
04. squeeze the juice from the lemon
“She squeezed the juice from the lemon directly into the salad dressing.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adverb
05. firmly squeeze the sponge
“You should firmly squeeze the sponge to remove the excess soapy water.”
adv + verb + noun
06. tightly squeeze the handle
“He tightly squeezed the handle of his briefcase as he walked through the dark alley.”
adv + verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“Anna Bird, its chief executive, said parent-carers were being “squeezed from every direction: by the cost of living crisis, reduced services; and a support system that is increasingly confusing, fragmented and difficult to navigate”.” “NASA engineers have found a clever way to squeeze more life out of Voyager 2, nearly half a century after it left Earth.” Etymology
From earlier squize, squise (whence also dialectal English squizzen and squeege), first attested around 1600, further origin uncertain; probably an alteration of quease (which is attested since 1550), from Middle English queisen (“to squeeze”), from Old English cwȳsan (“to crush, squeeze”), itself also of unknown origin, perhaps imitative (compare Swedish qväsa, kväsa (“to squeeze, bruise, crush; quell”), Dutch kwetsen (“to injure, hurt”), German quetschen (“to squeeze”)). Or, a blend of obsolete squiss (“to squeeze”) (whence also squash and squish) with quease. Compare also French esquicher from Old Occitan esquichar (“to press, squeeze”). The slang expression "to put the squeeze on (someone or something)", meaning "to exert influence", is from 1711. The baseball term "squeeze play" is first recorded 1905. "Main squeeze" ("most important person") is attested from 1896, the specific meaning "one's sweetheart, lover" is attested in 1970s. The nonstandard strong forms squoze and squozen, attested dialectally since at least the mid-19th century, are by analogy with freeze.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Idioms
01. squeeze one out
02. tight squeeze
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/squeeze
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0