pressing issue

Meaning

A 'pressing issue' is an urgent problem or situation that requires immediate attention, action, or resolution. The word 'pressing' acts as an adjective meaning 'demanding immediate attention.' This is a formal and professional collocation common in news, business, and academic discussions.

Examples

• Climate change remains the most pressing issue of our generation.

  Climate change remains the most pressing issue of our generation.

• We need to address the budget deficit, as it is a pressing issue for the company.

  We need to address the budget deficit, as it is a pressing issue for the company.

• The mayor called an emergency meeting to discuss the pressing issue of homelessness.

  The mayor called an emergency meeting to discuss the pressing issue of homelessness.

• Before we start the main presentation, let's resolve this pressing issue.

  Before we start the main presentation, let's resolve this pressing issue.

• Finding a reliable supplier has become a pressing issue for our production team.

  Finding a reliable supplier has become a pressing issue for our production team.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ This is an urgent pressing issue.

  ✓ This is a pressing issue.

  'Pressing' already means urgent, so adding 'urgent' is redundant.

• ✗ We have a pressed issue to talk about.

  ✓ We have a pressing issue to talk about.

  The adjective form must be the present participle 'pressing' (exerting pressure/urgent), not the past participle 'pressed'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The lack of clean water in the region is a ___ that cannot be ignored.

  💡 An urgent problem needing immediate action.

  Show answer

  pressing issue

• Our team needs to focus on this ___ before moving to long-term goals.

  💡 The current urgent task or problem.

  Show answer

  pressing issue