press-up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral, slightly more common in sports/fitness contexts.
Quick answer
What does “press-up” mean?
A physical exercise in which a person lies facing the floor and, keeping their back straight, raises their body by pressing down on their hands until the arms are straight.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A physical exercise in which a person lies facing the floor and, keeping their back straight, raises their body by pressing down on their hands until the arms are straight.
Primarily a term for the specific callisthenic/calisthenic exercise. It has no significant extended metaphorical meanings in standard use.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, the equivalent term is almost exclusively 'push-up'. 'Press-up' is a British English term.
Connotations
Identical in meaning and connotation; the difference is purely lexical.
Frequency
'Press-up' is standard in UK English. It is rarely used in American English, where 'push-up' is the dominant term.
Grammar
How to Use “press-up” in a Sentence
do + NUMBER + press-upsperform + press-upshold the press-up positionVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in sports science, physiotherapy, or physical education contexts.
Everyday
Common in general fitness conversation, gym settings, or describing a physical challenge.
Technical
Used in fitness training, military PT, and exercise physiology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “press-up”
- Using 'press-up' in American contexts where 'push-up' is expected.
- Writing it as one word without a hyphen (*pressup).
- Confusing with 'bench press' (a different exercise).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. The standard term in American English is 'push-up'.
There is no difference in the exercise. The terms are regional variants, with 'press-up' being British and 'push-up' being American.
Yes, it is standard to write it as a hyphenated compound noun: press-up.
No, it is solely a noun. The verb phrase is 'do press-ups' or 'perform press-ups'.
A physical exercise in which a person lies facing the floor and, keeping their back straight, raises their body by pressing down on their hands until the arms are straight.
Press-up is usually neutral, slightly more common in sports/fitness contexts. in register.
Press-up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpres ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpres ˌəp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a printing PRESS lifting UP a heavy weight—it's like your body pressing up from the floor.
Conceptual Metaphor
BODY IS A MACHINE (pressing itself upward).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary American English equivalent for 'press-up'?