squeeze
/skwiːz/verb, noun
squeeze is spelled S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E: 7 letters and one syllable. It appears 8.7 times per million words in written English, the 7,797th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, squeeze means “To apply pressure (to something) from two or more sides at once” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in squeeze?
| Letters | 7: S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 8.7 times per million words; the 7,797th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is squeeze?
Squeeze appears 8.7 times per million words in written English, the 7,797th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce squeeze?
- /skwiːz/
Squeeze has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-squeeze.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of squeeze
- squeezes present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- squeezing participle, present
- squeezed past, participle
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does squeeze mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To apply pressure (to something) from two or more sides at once.
I squeezed the ball between my hands.
- 2
To embrace closely; to give a tight hug to.
- 3
To fit into a tight place.
I managed to squeeze the car into that parking space.
- 4
To remove something with difficulty, or apparent difficulty.
He squeezed some money out of his wallet.
- 5
To barely manage to.
I managed to squeeze through the exam with a D.
- 6
To put in a difficult position by presenting two or more choices.
I'm being squeezed between my job and my volunteer work.
- 7
To oppress with hardships, burdens, or taxes; to harass.
- 8
To attempt to score a runner from third by bunting.
Jones squeezed in Smith with a perfect bunt.
noun
- 1
An instance of squeezing.
to give something a squeeze
- 2
A close or tight fit.
- 3
A difficult position.
I'm in a tight squeeze right now when it comes to my free time.
- 4
A hug or other affectionate grasp.
a gentle squeeze on the arm
- 5
slangA romantic partner.
I want to be your main squeeze.
- 6
slangAn illicit alcoholic drink made by squeezing Sterno through cheesecloth, etc., and mixing the result with fruit juice.
- 7
The act of bunting in an attempt to score a runner from third.
The game ended in exciting fashion with a failed squeeze.
- 8
A play that forces an opponent to discard a card that gives up one or more tricks.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Squeeze in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | presser, comprimer, tasser, serrer , pressurer |
| German | drücken, klemmen, pressen, quetschen , zwängen , Klemme |
| Portuguese | espremer, apertar , aperto, apuro , ficante |
| Spanish | exprimir, apretar, apremir, espichar, despichar, apañuscar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does squeeze come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).