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."
separable
press out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To remove wrinkles or creases by applying pressure, or to extract something by pressing.
In plain English
To flatten something by pressing on it, or to push something out by squeezing.
What does "press out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Applying pressure so that something (a crease, a shape, liquid) is pushed outward — fully transparent.
Actually means
To flatten something by pressing on it, or to push something out by squeezing.
Usage tip
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').
Words that pair with "press out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
creases wrinkles shapes dough juice cookies air bubbles
How to conjugate "press out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "press out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "press out"
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Keep exploring
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