nounnounadjectiveother

le pressé

hurry · rush

Qui manque de temps et doit faire vite.

Definition & meaning

Pressé can mean:

In a hurry or short of time: Je suis pressé — “I’m in a hurry.”
Urgent, when referring to a matter: Ce n’est pas pressé — “It’s not urgent.”
Pressed or squeezed, such as fruit or juice: du citron pressé — “squeezed lemon.”
Packed or crowded together: une foule pressée — “a tightly packed crowd.”

Grammar & Word origin

Pressé is an adjective and the past participle of presser , “to press” or “to squeeze.” It agrees with the noun it describes: masculine pressé, feminine pressée, and plural pressés or pressées.

The sense “in a hurry” comes from the idea of being pressed by time.

Synonyms & antonyms

occupé — “busy”; describes having things to do, not necessarily being in a hurry.
urgent — “urgent”; commonly describes a matter requiring prompt attention.
serré — “tight” or “closely packed”; similar to pressé when things or people are crowded together.
détendu — “relaxed”; contrasts with someone who is hurried or tense.
espacé — “spaced out”; the opposite of closely packed.