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press out

B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To flatten something by pressing on it, or to push something out by squeezing.

Literal meaning: Applying pressure so that something (a crease, a shape, liquid) is pushed outward — fully transparent.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To flatten wrinkles or creases in fabric by applying pressure.

"She pressed out the creases in her shirt before hanging it up."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 neutral

To force something out of a material by applying pressure, or to cut a shape from a flat material using a mould or cutter.

"Press out the cookie shapes and place them on a lined baking tray."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Used in two main contexts: removing wrinkles from fabric (similar to ironing) and extracting liquid or shapes by applying pressure (e.g., in cooking or manufacturing). Also used in crafts — pressing out shapes from dough or clay. The object typically falls between 'press' and 'out' when it is a pronoun ('press it out').

Commonly used with

creases wrinkles shapes dough juice cookies air bubbles

Forms

Base
press out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
presses out
he/she/it
Past simple
pressed out
yesterday
Past participle
pressed out
have + pp
-ing form
pressing out
continuous

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Synonyms

flatten out smooth out iron out squeeze out stamp out punch out

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