pressing desire

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pressing desire" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a strong or urgent wish for something. Example: "She felt a pressing desire to travel the world and experience new cultures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Oh, and a sudden, pressing desire to go road-surfing on the back of a metal door.

The Guardian - Film

Like someone who holidays only in Britain, he knows there are other possibilities out there but has no pressing desire to explore them.

The Guardian - Music

This pressing desire to integrate, to live in community, is reflected in Mojang (Swedish for gadget), the company that Persson founded when Minecraft's maintenance and development became too much for one man to handle.

The New Yorker

At least one of them may be a pressing desire to make a tabloid-friendly splash, to dispel the lacklustre impression created by the calamities of the past few weeks.

The Economist

So eager was capitalism to pour its riches into our lap that you would have to be very incompetent indeed not to take advantage of its pressing desire to help you to the good life.

The Guardian - Opinion

The pressing desire for pro-independence campaigners in Tibet, where an ongoing crackdown by Chinese authorities has claimed more lives in recent weeks, is to take advantage of the opportunity to garner world attention for their cause.Gradually the voices speaking out about Tibet are growing louder.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The same thing happened with "The Aviator" and "The Departed," films that felt driven by their own fluency and facility but by no more pressing desires.

The New Yorker

Other things being equal that is, he has no other more pressing desires and no beliefs about some awful risk he would take by going to the shop the "rational" thing for him to do would be to go to the shop and buy some cheese.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Sign up for The best of VICE, delivered to your inbox daily.

Vice

"415" has become synonymous with how early music is understood in America, and with the ever-pressing desire for authenticity that can sometimes lead early musicians into the netherworld of blind pursuit contra art, this choice leaves itself ripe for critique (415 is a convenient benchmark for transposition and tends to smell like a piano masquerading as a harpsichord).

HuffPost

There is no pressing or active desire.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pressing desire" to convey a sense of urgency or strong motivation, particularly when discussing societal needs or individual ambitions. It adds a layer of intensity that simple 'desire' lacks.

Common error

Avoid using "pressing desire" in everyday situations where a simpler word like 'wish' or 'want' would suffice. Overuse can diminish the phrase's impact and make your writing sound unnecessarily dramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pressing desire" functions as a noun phrase, where 'pressing' acts as an adjective modifying 'desire'. It denotes a strong and urgent wish or need. Ludwig AI confirms that it follows standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

33%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pressing desire" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe a strong and urgent wish or need. Ludwig AI analysis shows its prevalence across various contexts, including news, science, and academic writing. While suitable for formal use, it should be used judiciously to avoid sounding overly dramatic in casual settings. Consider alternatives like "urgent need" or "intense yearning" for nuanced meanings. The phrase is frequently encountered in reputable sources like The Guardian and The New York Times, confirming its acceptability in formal English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

urgent need

Focuses on necessity rather than inclination.

compelling need

Highlights the forcefulness of the necessity.

strong inclination

Emphasizes the strength of the preference, but less urgent.

imperative wish

Highlights the compulsory or urgent nature of the wish.

intense yearning

Highlights a deep longing or craving.

overwhelming urge

Suggests a compulsion that is difficult to resist.

powerful craving

Focuses on the intensity of the want.

acute longing

Emphasizes the sharpness and intensity of the desire.

burning ambition

Highlights ambition as a strong and consuming desire.

driving force

Emphasizes the motivational aspect of the desire.

FAQs

How can I use "pressing desire" in a sentence?

You can use "pressing desire" to describe a strong feeling or need for something. For instance, "There's a pressing desire to find a solution to climate change" or "He felt a pressing desire to return home".

What are some alternatives to "pressing desire"?

You can use alternatives like "urgent need", "strong inclination", or "intense yearning" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "pressing desire"?

It is appropriate to use "pressing desire" when you want to emphasize the urgency or importance of a wish or need. It's suitable for formal writing, discussions about societal issues, or describing strong personal feelings.

Is "urgent desire" the same as "pressing desire"?

While "urgent desire" and "pressing desire" are similar, "pressing desire" often implies a need that requires immediate action or attention, whereas "urgent desire" simply emphasizes the intensity of the wish. There isn't much difference but "pressing" adds a sense of something weighing down.