gerund or present participle
It means using force to move a person or thing away from you or into a different position.
She is pushing the cart uphill.
They were pushing the sofa toward the wall.
American English
How to pronounce pushing
verb · nounA2Very common word
PʰƱshihng
/ˈpʰʊ.ʃɪŋ/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Form of push
Pushing can describe an action in progress or name an activity.
It means using force to move a person or thing away from you or into a different position.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
gerund or present participle
It means pressing something with your finger or hand, especially a button or switch, so that it works or moves.
He is pushing the blue button.
She is pushing the switch down.
gerund or present participle
It means trying to make someone do something or trying hard to get something accepted by applying pressure.
The coach is pushing the team to improve.
Workers are pushing for safer conditions.
Good to know
This meaning can sound negative because the person may not want to do it.
gerund
It is the act of using force to move a person or thing away from you or into a different position.
Some people think pushing in line is rude.
The pushing of the heavy box took all morning.
Useful expressions
to treat someone badly and make them do what you want
Don't let him push you around.
to resist an idea, request, or rule
The team pushed back against the new rule.
to work hard to get something accepted or done
They are pushing for better public transportation.